Perspective: The unexplored dimensions behind the foam formation in River Yamuna, India

For nearly two years, a persistent foam cover has been observed during the post-monsoon season in the Yamuna River beneath the barrage near Okhla in Delhi, India. This affair has been a matter of public concern now, after the gigantic appearance of foam in November 2021, as the visibility of foam has awakened people's environmental 'conscience' over the 'concealed' chemical pollution. The mechanisms of agents responsible for foaming in rivers, particularly surfactants and phosphates, have received wide attention in the dynamic community of river pollution. Many studies in the past, around the globe, have evidently provided different rationales behind the dense foam formation in rivers, yet the Concerned Govt. Authorities have highlighted the cause of foam formation in the river Yamuna is associated with the presence of detergents and phosphates as foaming agents. Despite this, an aperture with copious unaccounted factors or underlying agents still exists to rationalize the foam formation and persistence. In this article, we outline these unaccounted factors which might be responsible for the foam formation and stabilization and give indications for future research directives towards the emergence of studies regarding the dense foam formation in river Yamuna.

Automated summary

A persistent foam cover has been observed in the Yamuna River near Okhla in Delhi, India for nearly two years, and it has become a matter of public concern after a gigantic appearance of foam in November 2021. The presence of detergents and phosphates as foaming agents has been highlighted as the cause of foam formation, but there are still unaccounted factors and underlying agents that need to be understood. This article outlines these factors and suggests future research directions for the dense foam formation in the Yamuna River.