A new study recently hit the press with alarming headlines such as, “Peeing in The Pool May Cause Heart, Lung Problems,”; “Urinating in the Swimming Pool Could Result in a Deadly Chemical Weapon”; and “Some People Pee in the Pool — and It’s Hurting Our Health.” The authors said the experiments showed uric acid, when combined with chlorine, efficiently contribute to the formation of cyanogen chloride (CNCl) and trichloramine (NCl3), the nitrogen-containing byproducts that can have negative health effects when inhaled. NCL3 has been linked to lung injury, while CNCl is toxic and can affect organs such as the lungs, heart and central nervous system. The authors also said the addition of uric acid to chlorine may be a significant contributor to the formation of CNCl in pools. Read the full article from Pool and Spa News
Ideally no one, not even competitive swimmers, would pee in the pool. However, pool owners and recreational facilities can prevent the occurrence of chemical by-products by adding an Ozone or AOP system. Whether from interacting with urine, sweat, or other biologicals in water, chemicals do leave behind by-products. These chemical by-products, not the chemical itself, are the actual culprit of water complaints such as odor, red eyes, itchy skin, discolored hair, and swimsuit fading.
Ozone interacts with chemical by-products and completely removes them from water. Chlorine is recycled back to it's free form, so it can continue to work as a residual sanitizer. Additionally, Ozone/AOP eliminates biologicals and other impurities from water as it flows through the return system so that water is sparkling clean and clear. Chlorine usage can be reduced up to 70%, further eliminating the threat of harmful by-products, saving money on chemicals, and reducing maintenance of balancing water chemistry.
