Difficulty: Explorer (Level 2)
No, it is not just chlorine you smell when you walk by the pool. That strong smell is a mix of chlorine and other things, like sweat and urine.
“People are peeing in the swimming pool, and we have the chemistry to prove it,” VidCon founder, author, social media content creator and science communicator Hank Green told millions of followers on his YouTube channel SciShow.
“Researchers mixed chlorine with uric acid, a compound found in both sweat and urine, but … [there is a lot more of it] in urine,” he said. “The result was trichloramine and cyanogen chloride, which contribute to the pool smell. But even worse, it can irritate your eyes and lungs.”
The National Centre for Health Research in the US is still studying the effects of these chemicals on humans. However, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has linked chloramines to several health issues (see graphic).
Chloramines are the chemical by-products of chlorine and body fluids.
“If you’re tired of getting all red-eyed after a swim and your pool smells like chlorine, you know what to blame,” Green said. “And that’s why chemists are asking people to please, please stop peeing in the pool.”
Sample answers
Read and answer: It creates the “pool” smell and can irritate your eyes and lungs.
Think about it: Stop peeing in the pool!
