Spanish river turns bright green

[Still Waters]

It's not St. Patrick's Day yet, but the Valira River in northeastern Spain turned a bright green Thursday, alarming residents.

The waterway flows down the Pyrennes Mountains from the tiny nation of Andorra into Spain, where it empties into the Segre River near Seu d’Urgell.

Albert Batalla, the mayor of Seu d’Urgell, assured residents the green dye was intentionally added to the river and is “entirely harmless, non-toxic and biodegradable.” 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2017/03/02/spain-green-river-pyrenees-andorra/98636346/

 

[glorybebe]

I really don't understand dying a river.   as long as it isn't toxic and does not kill any plants or animals.

[Parsec]

If the healt ministry says so, that's surely true.

 

If it was deliberate and planned, did they inform people before or after releasing the dye?

[paperdyer]

Tracer dyes are usually considered GRAS.  The dyes also usually fluoresce under a UV light.  The dye used might of been fluorescein. It's a highly fluorescent yellow dye that appears green in solution.  This is the same eye that's in the drops an eye doctor uses to check your eye pressure. 

[Sundew]

They better watch out, it looks like that river was contaminated with Dihydrogen monoxide!

[godnodog]

I once drank Dihydrogen monoxide....I died

[XClashGames]

Right quit it with the DiHydrogen Monoxide joke, everyone knows that DHMO is water.

[LucidElement]

Right in time for st. Pattys day lol.