This paper examines the chemicals commonly used to treat and maintain swimming pool water, including chlorine, bromine, algaecides, enzymes, and pool balancers. Drawing on consumer safety reports and product literature, the paper discusses the potential hazards of improper chemical mixing, disposal risks, and physical effects such as eye and hair damage. A summary table outlines the function and risks of each major chemical agent. The paper concludes that while these substances effectively maintain safe water conditions when used correctly, consumers must exercise caution and follow manufacturer instructions to avoid injury.
Anyone who has taken a dip in a swimming pool that has just been treated with chlorine can readily testify to the powerful burning effects this chemical has on the eyes, but chlorine and the other chemicals used to treat swimming pools can have other, less noticeable yet potentially harmful effects as well. To determine what chemicals are typically used to treat swimming pools and what effects they produce, this paper provides a review of the relevant literature, followed by a summary of the research and important findings in the conclusion.
Compared to other hazardous household wastes, American consumers tend to have more swimming pool chemicals left over at the end of a season than any other category. Consumers use up to 89–90 percent of their pesticides and fertilizers and 90 percent of their cleaning products, but just 8 percent of their swimming pool chemicals (Wolf, Kettler, Leahy, and Spitz 1999). As a result, injuries among waste management personnel have been reported from around the country when these chemicals were improperly disposed of in municipal landfills (Wolf et al. 1999). When swimming pool chemicals are improperly combined, they have the potential to produce chlorine gas ("Gas threat" 2009).
One international manufacturer of swimming pool chemicals, BioLab UK, was charged with negligence following an explosion caused by improperly mixed chemicals that seriously injured a consumer's face. Although admitting that she had mixed the chemicals incorrectly, the consumer emphasized that the widely sold pool care kit failed to highlight the potential dangers involved in mixing the chemicals. She further noted that she would never have purchased the kit had she been aware of the danger ("Mother's Agony as Pool Cleaning Fluid Explodes in Her Face" 2004).
The explosion occurred when the consumer followed the swimming pool treatment kit's directions to mix the chemicals in separate containers with water. However, rather than adding the two solutions directly to the swimming pool, she combined them in a single bucket, which resulted in the explosion ("Mother's Agony as Pool Cleaning Fluid Explodes in Her Face" 2004). Beyond the trauma and pain suffered, the consumer was uncertain at the time of the report whether the damage to her face could be repaired ("Mother's Agony as Pool Cleaning Fluid Explodes in Her Face" 2004).
There are other dangers involved with chlorine as well. According to hair care product manufacturer Paul Clayton (2009) of Clayton and Company, "Frequent swimmers with natural blonde or chemically lightened hair that is extremely porous may experience the development of green tints and shades over time" (40). Prior planning, Clayton suggests, is the most effective approach to preventing this color change. All professional hair care product companies offer a range of sun care products that can provide protection against damage from the chlorine used in swimming pools (Clayton 2009).
Besides chlorine, other chemicals are commonly used in treating swimming pools. The major agents, their functions, and associated effects are outlined below.
Bromine: More stable in hot water than chlorine, bromine functions in much the same way as chlorine in killing pool bacteria. However, bromine is more resilient to the effects of other chemicals used in pool treatment and will last longer than chlorine.
Pool shock and super chlorinators: When chlorine and bacteria combine in pool water, the resulting compounds are eliminated by briefly raising the chlorine level of the water using pool "shockers" and super chlorinators. Some chlorine-free shockers are available that use potassium monopersulfate and are reported to work just as well.
"Table of bromine, algaecides, enzymes, and balancers"
The research showed that a wide range of chemical products are used to maintain water quality in swimming pools. When used properly, these chemicals provide consumers with the means to moderate pH and alkalinity levels as well as the amount of dangerous bacteria present in swimming pool water. The research also showed that the most prominent — and powerful — chemical typically used to treat swimming pool water remains chlorine, a highly toxic substance capable of causing injuries directly if applied to the skin, eyes, or hair, or indirectly if mixed with other common chemicals that are part of the swimming pool water treatment process. Taken together, the research consistently emphasized the need for consumers to exercise caution when using these chemicals and to carefully follow manufacturers' directions in the application of these products.
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