The chemistry of swimming pools: How urine, sweat, and lotions react with chlorine
This article explores the chemical reactions that occur when human bodily fluids (urine, sweat) and personal care products (lotions, sunscreen) interact with chlorine-treated pool water. It examines the formation of disinfection by-products (DBPs) such as chloramines and trihalomethanes, and investigates the ongoing scientific debate about whether these chemical compounds pose health risks to swimmers. The piece covers the chemistry behind pool water treatment, the "pool smell" myth, and the current state of research on potential health effects.
Key quotes
The jury's still out on whether those by-products are harmful to your health
That distinctive 'pool smell' isn't actually chlorine — it's chloramines, formed when chlorine reacts with ammonia from sweat and urine
We're essentially swimming in a dilute chemical soup of our own making
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