Over the years, visitors to the Taj Mahal have been complaining of a foul smell that is ruining their experiences at the majestic 17th-cent...
Over the years, visitors to the Taj Mahal have been complaining of a foul smell that is ruining their experiences at the majestic 17th-century Mughal architecture listed as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. The gas responsible for the odour may in fact be doing greater harm – it is likely the culprit behind the discolouration of the Taj’s glorious white marbles.
The stink coming from the black waters of the Yamuna river that flows prompted a group of scientists to explore if the gas that was responsible for the odour – hydrogen sulphide – also had corrosive effects. They found that the gas released from polluted Yamuna water had a more corrosive impact than sulphur dioxide released by industrial pollution in Agra city.
The findings assume significance, as initiatives around protecting the Taj from being affected by pollution have largely been concerned with tackling industrial and vehicular pollution, while Yamuna pollution has not got as much attention until five years ago.
For over three decades now, sulphur dioxide has been considered to be the main pollutant behind the decay in the glorious white marbles. Yamuna pollution was also blamed for the impact on...
