As the latest episode of the American Chemical Society’s Reactions series explains, urine in the pool, in addition to all the other gross dirt that’s on our bodies, can actually have some not-great health effects, including respiratory problems like asthma, and red, stinging eyes.
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Swimming pools are treated with chemicals that react with water to produce hypochlorous acid – a disinfectant that protects us from unsafe microorganisms such as E. coli and salmonella.
Researchers at Purdue University in the USA already estimate that pools can contain as much as 30-80 millilitres of urine per person.
Urine also contains chemicals from new and existing drugs on the market, and scientists don’t yet know how these chemicals will interact with those already in the pool.
But before you submerge, let loose and avoid eye contact with other swimmers, it’s important to realise that peeing in the pool isn’t harmless. As straight guilt-trips go, this one is created to both educate and make you feel bad if you ever pee in a pool again-which, it points out, is common: pools average 30-80 ml of urine per swimmer. Eww.
Showering before you get in the pool can reduce the problem, but the Reactions video explains that up to half the DBPs in a pool are caused by urine.
“Everyone does it.” “It’s all water, it all goes to the same place”.
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Another fun fact, noted by Gizmodo: “[DBPs are] also responsible for that familiar summertime “pool smell, ‘ which probably evokes happy childhood memories.
