<p>Considering there are evaporation ponds worldwide (San Francisco Bay is full of them, and Morton used to, and may still, have the majority) used for harvesting sea salt, it's doubtful that any salt deposits would end up in the Martian atmosphere. And the atmosphere of Mars is too thin to hold salt blown from existing salt deposits, so salt blown into the atmosphere by Martian dust storms would quickly settle out of the atmosphere.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-29T21:33:51.630Z
2019-01-29T21:33:51.630Z
BillDOe
<p>Can enough salt particulates be in the air to create salty snow or ice that is undrinkable? </p>

<p>Will ice form in sub zero temperatures through condensation in salty air? </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-27T20:46:33.313Z
In sea ice, the salt is rejected from the crystalline structure. But I have no idea if any significan amount of salt can exist on the atmosphere and if it could get trapped in snowflakes. However, I really doubt it. Have a look at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brine_rejection
Camilo Rada
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-27T20:47:55.577Z
@CamiloRada you got to check this question. Please https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/questions/29361/would-drinking-melted-ice-water-from-mars-taste-like-sparkling-water
Muze
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-27T20:51:44.740Z
@CamiloRada Mars glacier science should be your thing?
Muze
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-27T21:00:48.407Z
That's indeed interesting. I have a few friends working on martian glaciers. But I doubt there are salty snowflakes in Mars or Earth, contamination of snow or condensation ice crystals once they are on the ground is different. Salt would be in between ice crystals, not inside them.
Camilo Rada
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-27T21:04:15.620Z
@CamiloRada so if you could catch the snow before it hits the ground they would be clean. Possibly the top layer in the snow?
Muze
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-27T21:06:52.077Z
Yes, on Earth fresh snow is always good to drink. However, I don't know if snowfall actually happen in Mars on its current climate.
Camilo Rada
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-27T21:12:33.640Z
@CamiloRada It does but mixed with carbon dioxide to make snow flakes microns wide.
Muze
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-27T22:10:10.537Z
I'm not sure snow, or any form of precipitation is safe to drink untreated. All precipitation requires a nucleation site, which are often bacteria. Of course, if the choice is death by dehydration or sickening by bacteria, I think I would choose the latter.
BillDOe
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-28T08:41:10.437Z
@BillDOe snow is as close to destilled water as you can come(if in an unpoluted area)and of all the bacteria 99,99% are totally harmless.
trond hansen
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-28T20:05:57.237Z
@gansub, water from natural wells is often highly filtered by strata though which rainwater seeped, but in order to know if any particular well's water is safe to drink, it would need to be tested. I don't have data on what percentage of wells are unsafe.
BillDOe
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-28T20:18:15.880Z
From [CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/drinking/private/rainwater-collection.html): Rainwater can carry bacteria, parasites, viruses, and chemicals that could make you sick, and it has been linked to disease outbreaks.
BillDOe
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-28T21:34:14.933Z
@BillDOe You have enough for an answer.
Muze
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-29T21:27:16.650Z
@Muze, okay. I will write up my comments as an answer.
BillDOe
<minerals><ice><particulates>
How salty can snow/sleet be?
Muze
# How salty can snow/sleet be?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-01-27)

Can enough salt particulates be in the air to create salty snow or ice that is undrinkable?

Will ice form in sub zero temperatures through condensation in salty air?

**Tags:** minerals, ice, particulates

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: In sea ice, the salt is rejected from the crystalline structure. But I have no idea if any significan amount of salt can exist on the atmosphere and if it could get trapped in snowflakes. However, I really doubt it. Have a look at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brine_rejection  
> **username_0**: @username_1 you got to check this question. Please https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/questions/29361/would-drinking-melted-ice-water-from-mars-taste-like-sparkling-water  
> **username_0**: @username_1 Mars glacier science should be your thing?  
> **username_1**: That's indeed interesting. I have a few friends working on martian glaciers. But I doubt there are salty snowflakes in Mars or Earth, contamination of snow or condensation ice crystals once they are on the ground is different. Salt would be in between ice crystals, not inside them.  
> **username_0**: @username_1 so if you could catch the snow before it hits the ground they would be clean. Possibly the top layer in the snow?  
> **username_1**: Yes, on Earth fresh snow is always good to drink. However, I don't know if snowfall actually happen in Mars on its current climate.  
> **username_0**: @username_1 It does but mixed with carbon dioxide to make snow flakes microns wide.  
> **username_2**: I'm not sure snow, or any form of precipitation is safe to drink untreated. All precipitation requires a nucleation site, which are often bacteria. Of course, if the choice is death by dehydration or sickening by bacteria, I think I would choose the latter.  
> **username_3**: @username_2 snow is as close to destilled water as you can come(if in an unpoluted area)and of all the bacteria 99,99% are totally harmless.  
> **username_2**: @gansub, water from natural wells is often highly filtered by strata though which rainwater seeped, but in order to know if any particular well's water is safe to drink, it would need to be tested. I don't have data on what percentage of wells are unsafe.  
> **username_2**: From [CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/drinking/private/rainwater-collection.html): Rainwater can carry bacteria, parasites, viruses, and chemicals that could make you sick, and it has been linked to disease outbreaks.  
> **username_0**: @username_2 You have enough for an answer.  
> **username_2**: @username_0, okay. I will write up my comments as an answer.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2019-01-29. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

Considering there are evaporation ponds worldwide (San Francisco Bay is full of them, and Morton used to, and may still, have the majority) used for harvesting sea salt, it's doubtful that any salt deposits would end up in the Martian atmosphere. And the atmosphere of Mars is too thin to hold salt blown from existing salt deposits, so salt blown into the atmosphere by Martian dust storms would quickly settle out of the atmosphere.


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