Three facts about chloramines you may not know

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What if I told you that it is not actually chlorine that causes eye, skin and respiratory irritation? The irritation comes from disinfection byproducts called chloramines.

How chloramines are formed

Chloramines are formed by the reaction of chlorine with organic substances like body oils, urine, and sweat. This is why many pools require bathers to shower before entering the pool water, but even if every person in the pool showered, the chlorine would still produce chloramines.

That pool smell

Chloramines also cause the infamous chlorine smell of indoor pools. In indoor pools, air circulation is often poor and so the air becomes saturated with chloramines.

The effects of chloramines

While the smell is unpleasant, chloramines can also be dangerous to your health. The CDC warns that routine breathing of these irritants causes severe respiratory symptoms as well as an increased sensitivity to other types of irritants such as fungi and bacteria.

The dangers of chloramines are well known and there are activist groups, and many others, who are trying to spread the word and help make our world a healthier place.

With Clear Comfort’s advanced oxidation technology, even if an indoor pool has poor air circulation, because there is little to no chlorine in the pool, the concentration of chloramines is considerably lower. Clear Comfort is also trying to help spread the word and change the world one pool at a time.

 

Claire McDaniel

Claire is a swimming and nutrition expert who loves to educate and motivate others to healthier living. She swam competitively for 18 years, is a five time All-American, a Division I National Champion, was co-captain of Team USA at the 2007 World University Games and was named a finalist for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award. She also has a master’s degree in nutrition and is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. After swimming, Claire started coaching and has coached all over the US and even in Switzerland! Her experience and expertise about both swimming and health fuel her passion for Clear Comfort’s mission – to make swimming a 100 percent healthy activity for swimmers, coaches, lifeguards and pool staff.

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