Does Chlorine Kill Bacteria In Pools?

There are disgusting things that end up in public pools. These include someone emptying their bladder "on the quiet," or the child not being able to get out in time and accidentally emptying their bowels;  to people who have illnesses swimming in the water, it is impressive that so few infections are caused by swimming.

Treating your swimming pool with regular doses of swimming pool grade chlorine is the most effective way to kill all unwanted bacteria in your swimming pool and maintain it in a pristine condition. It has a few side effects; however, the overwhelming benefits outweigh the minor downsides.

Chlorine is arguably the most effective agent capable of killing bacteria in pools. Not only is it effective against most pathogens, but it is also a lower-cost solution than any of the other methods. Despite commonly held beliefs, it does not cause itchy skin or eyes and is odorless when mixed with water.

Chlorine Effectively Kills Bacteria, Here’s How

The potential for swimming pools to become disease-filled cesspools is very real. Not only is a swimming pool generally open to the atmosphere from which all sorts of nasty bacteria and organisms can drop from, but swimmers come in varying states of hygiene and self-control.

Swimmers' body oils, infections they carry on their bodies, saliva, urine, fecal matter, dirt, sweat, and even skin moisturizers are all instruments that can transfer bacteria or organisms into the swimming pool.

The "chlorine" smell at public swimming pools is caused by the Chlorine mixing with sweat and urine. Rather than being a symptom of too much Chlorine, it is more a reflection of the hygienic practice of the swimmers, and the odor means less free Chlorine is available in the water to kill germs.

To counter pool contamination, swimming pool owners have four lines of defense they can employ.

1. They can cover the pool when it is not being used.
2. They can employ a filter that removes the smallest particles from the water.
3. They can use an automatic pool cleaner and surface skimmer to clean the pool.
4. They can use chemicals to kill bacteria and organisms.

The History Of Using Chlorine In Swimming Pools

Before widely using Chlorine in public pools and water baths, they cleaned the water through sand filters. When the water showed algae or other bacteria signs, it was drained and replaced with fresh liquid.

In 1894 researchers suggested that using Chlorine was an effective way to kill harmful microorganisms in drinking water. After a typhoid fever outbreak in England in 1905, chlorination became the most common purifier method.

In 1910 John Wymond, a graduate student at Brown University, began using Chlorine to clean the university’s 70,000-gallon swimming pool. The experiment was a success, and, The New York Times reported that the swimming pool remained sterile for four days.

Along with advances in water filtration and other sanitation methods, the chlorinating of pool water has helped keep swimming pool-borne illnesses mainly in check.

What Is Chlorine And How Does It Work?

Chlorine is produced from ordinary salt by passing an electric current through a solution of common salt dissolved in water using electrolysis.

Chlorine is a very effective broad-spectrum destroyer of pathogens which, if left in the water, would make swimmers sick with diseases such as

1. Gastroenteritis and other diarrheal infections
2. Skin infections, such as "hot tub rash."
3. Swimmer's ear
4. Respiratory infections.
5. Typhoid.

Chlorine powder breaks down into Hypochlorous Acid and Calcium Hypochlorite ion when poured into water.

The Hypochlorous Acid is the active sterilizing agent. Hypochlorous Acid attacks the wall of the bacteria; collapsing the proteins in bacteria’s cells, and causing them to lose their structures. The proteins cease to function, and the cell starts to die once the proteins are destroyed. It also stops replicating the bacteria from reproducing.

Chlorine essentially tears apart the germs and bacteria, shredding the cell membrane and proteins.

What Are The Advantages Of Chlorine?

Chlorine has several advantages.

1. Chlorine is a dry, white compound that releases 70% of its weight as free Chlorine when dissolved in water. Easy to store and add to the pool.
2. Chlorine effectively sanitizes the water. Remember, it shreds right through bacteria
3. Chlorine purification is cheaper than a saltwater system.
4. Chlorine does not damage masonry or pool accessories like salt, requiring less expensive pool maintenance in the long run.

What Are The Disadvantages Of Chlorine?

Sounds great so far! But chlorine isn't going to solve all swimming pool problems.

Chlorine Is Not Effective Against Protozoa

Protozoa organisms can be transferred through swimming pool water and are not affected by swimming pool chlorine. These include

1. Cryptosporidium is a parasitic coccidian protozoan found in the intestinal tract.
2. Giardia is a tiny parasite (germs).

Both organisms can cause diarrhea, and they both tolerate Chlorine.

To avoid this, people who have diarrhea should not get into the swimming pool.

Chlorine Has Lower Effectiveness In Turbid Waters

Swimming pool chlorine has a lower disinfectant capability in cloudy and ineffectively filtered water.

It is a problem because water cloudiness is caused by excess particles suspended in the water. The particles can carry bacteria or pathogens.

For this reason, Chlorine must be used in conjunction with a capable filtration system.

Some People Object To Chlorines Taste And Odor

Although swimming pool chlorine does not create an odor by itself, chloramine is formed when it meets sweat and urine.

Causes the “too much chlorine” smell in public swimming pools. Especially the case with indoor pools since this smell build up indoors.

Chloramine also produces the “chlorine” taste and can cause skin irritations and nasal canals to become inflamed.

Chlorine Causes Hair And Swimsuits To Bleach

When chlorine powder is mixed with water, it creates Hypochlorous Acid and Calcium Hypochlorite ion. We've talked about the acid already, but what about the other?

Hypochlorite ion, also known as chlorate (I) anion, is more commonly known as Household bleach.

The Hypochlorite ion acts as the bleaching agent, which causes fabrics to fade quickly when not rinsed off immediately after exiting the pool. Therefore, your swimsuit becomes so faded and worn.

There are 2 melanins in hair: eumelanin, which gives hair and skin a brown or black hue, and pheomelanin, which gives the red tint. Calcium Hypochlorite ion removes both the melanin and eumelanin, causing the hair to become white.

Good reason to wear a swim cap to help protect the hair!

Chlorine Can Cause Skin Irritation

When mixed with contaminates in the water, chloramine is formed.

This compound can cause sensitive skin to become irritated and start to itch.

Note: But not to be confused with the skin irritation caused by an incorrect pH balance. Most human skin has a pH of approximately 5.5 to 6. If the swimming pool's pH is over 7.8, the water has too great an alkalinity, and the difference in pH compared to the skin can also irritate.

Chlorine Is Evaporated By The Sun

One of the main weaknesses of Chlorine is that it is unstable.

A good deal of the Chlorine in the water can be evaporated by the sun on a hot sunny day. You may need to check and add daily Chlorine doses in the early evening to compensate for this.

Summary

Chlorine is the unsung hero of the 20th and 21st centuries. For over 130 years, this excellent chemical has kept water free from dangerous bacteria pathogens.

Used in swimming pools with the appropriate pH levels, Chlorine manages to keep your home swimming pool looking clear and free from any harmful microorganisms.