‘Urine’ for a shock...
We all have that germaphobe friend who likes to lecture us on the dangers of toxic tube seats, keyboard germs and swimming pool hygiene.
Although it’s tempting to raise our eyebrows and ignore them, it turns out they might actually have been right all along. A new scientific study has emerged on the subject, and after reading it we never want to go near a pool again, let alone swim in one.
A group of scientists recently performed a study, investigating how much urine there is in swimming pools, and the results are so much worse than we could have imagined.
Using an artificial sweetener found in urine, scientists measured the amount of wee present in swimming pool water, finding that in an Olympic sized pool, there could be up to 50 gallons of urine. Yes, really.
The effects aren’t dangerous but they certainly should be avoided, with eye and respiratory irritation being linked to the reaction between urine and chlorine.
According to the tests, a 183,000 gallon swimming pool contained a whopping 17 gallons of urine, and a 91,500 gallon pool had 5.8 gallons.
‘The high concentration of ACE with 100 per cent occurrence in pools and hot tubs demonstrates the human impact on recreational water quality’ the study concluded, published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology Letters.
It continued: ‘The association of occupational asthma in swimmers with volatile disinfection byproducts highlights the need to control the water quality of swimming pools.’
We might sit out the next few pool parties to be honest.
