Start with water. Add chlorine, sweat and urine. What you get may be a soup of nasty byproducts
Posted 02.21.2008 at 11:29 am
4 Comments
Do you smell chlorine when you swim in an indoor pool? Maybe it's not chlorine after all.
Researchers at Purdue University have identified "volatile disinfection byproducts" that can form when chlorine in pool water reacts with sweat and urine. When enough of these byproducts form, they can cause problems for breathing, skin and eyes.
Health experts at the federal Centers for Disease Control have documented cases where people became sick after breathing contaminants at indoor pools. And last summer, officials had to interrupt the U.S. National Swimming Championships because some swimmers were having trouble breathing.
Now the Purdue researchers are trying to learn more about the chemistry of swimming pools. It's not just sweat and urine. Chlorine may react with other additives, such as cosmetics and deodorants.
Future research will focus on figuring out how to break down the unhealthy byproducts that form in pools. Or better yet, prevent their formation. Our suggestion: Insist that everyone take a shower before hitting the pool. And make it a warm one.
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I have seen a report on a german tv channel about the tupical smell of open swimming pools and it turned out that it is infact a combo of urine and the reacting chlorine.....a pure chorine-water mixture resulted in less or no odor at all.....and that is in fact tha case in swimming pools with controlled acces: they almost do not smell
Wow, i dont know if i'll be swimming this summer!
yes, in summer days, It really a awesome feeling to dip in swimming pool.
great and keep it up about posting like this.
Cheers
It's the pool owner's responsibility to maintain the pH level or the chemical status of the pool. Pool maintenance is very important and there would be times to close it to make sure that the water is clean enough to use. People are different, some would get easily sick after swimming into a chlorinated pool that's why it's also important to consult a doctor to know the "risks" before swimming.