Detergents in sewage turn Yamuna into toxic froth

Visuals of toxic froth floating on the surface of the Yamuna river near Kalindi Kunj in Delhi made their way back to social media over the past few days, with experts citing detergents as one of the major reasons behind the pollution.

Majority of the detergents in the country don't have a certification by the ISO (International Organization for Standardization), which has capped the concentration of phosphates in the chemical substance.

The primary reason behind the formation of the toxic foam was high phosphate content in the wastewater because of detergents used in dyeing industries, dhobi ghats and households.

These detergents and other organic matter gets deposited in the riverbed when the river is flowing normally. When more water is released upstream, it falls from a height on reaching the Okhla Barrage, leading to turbulence and churning which causes froth.

Another reason, but not a major one, for the frothing is the release of certain gases when a specific kind of bacteria become active in anaerobic conditions -- when there is no or little oxygen is available.

The solution is that every household is connected to the sewer network and treatment of the wastewater.

The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has sealed two polluting units and ordered closure of 15 others which may have caused frothing in the Yamuna.