The chemical that turned Victoria’s Goldstream River green earlier this week has been confirmed as fluorescein.
Water samples taken Wednesday from the river and from a green-spouting fountain in Veterans Memorial Park were sent to Environment Canada’s Pacific Environmental Science Centre in North Vancouver for assessment, said Dan Gilmore, provincial environment ministry spokesman.
“Test results . . . confirm the substance causing the green colour in the river and the fountain was fluorescein,” Mr. Gilmore said.
“Fluorescein is a synthetic organic compound soluble in water and alcohol. It is widely used as a fluorescent tracer for many applications. The product itself and its products of degradation are not toxic.”
