“Raw, untreated sewage is constantly dumped into the Yamuna in Delhi. These phosphates are responsible for the alarming amount of foam that forms on the surface of the river, similar to the foam created by detergents. This lowers the oxygen content, killing off marine life that is essential to maintain the quality of water. However, these phosphates persist in water, which leads to eutrophication - a process by which a water body becomes enriched with minerals and nutrients, causing the growth of algae that in turn cuts off oxygen from mixing with the water and sunlight from reaching the depths of the water body. These compounds make cleaning a lot easier. Phosphates are an ingredient used in many detergents which are designed to reduce the surface tension of water. However, the amount of foam visible in present-day Yamuna cannot be explained by such natural phenomenon.Īccording to Sushmita Sengupta, a scientist working with the Water Programme at Centre for Science and Environment, the high level of phosphates in the Yamuna is what causes such foam to build up. The foam made from organic matter in rivers and lakes can last for a long time. When the water gets disturbed by waves, natural waterfalls, or artificial falls from river barrages, this fatty layer gets beaten into a froth - similar to how shaking up soapy water causes air to get trapped in tiny bubbles that form a layer of foam. They form an invisible floating layer on the water surface. Under natural circumstances, the formation of lines of foam on the surface of water is very common.ĭead and decaying parts of plants contain fats molecules that do not mix with water. ThePrint explains the science behind this froth. Even Sanskrit poet Avaghosa in his poetry, dating as far back as the 1st century, mentioned the presence of foam in Yamuna’s waters.
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