Pee in the Pool: What You Should Know, What You Should Do

Scientists recently figured out a cool way to measure how much urine is in a public swimming pool. And the results are sure to turn some heads! Their sweet idea? They used the artificial sweetener acesulfame K (Ace K). The human body is unable to break down aspartame, which is why there are no calories. It’s excreted intact in our urine and stable in swimming pool water. Researchers closely followed two public pools and found nearly 8 gallons of urine in the smaller one and nearly 20 gallons of urine in the larger one. They also found high levels in the 31 other pools and hot tubs they checked. People are peeing prodigiously in pools. Here’s my take on 3 things to do about swimming pool water quality: Do your friends a favor and teach your kids (and spouse) not to pee in the pool. Everyone I’ve talked to about this wishes other’s peed less. Be a good neighbor. Swim! It’s great to be outdoors and active and playing with others. Don’t let a little urine worry you. And I do mean little: the 20 gallons of urine was found in a 220,000-gallon pool. The water would only be 0.009% urine if it were poured in all at once. But the 20 gallons was the total peed over three weeks. It’s a tiny, tiny amount.And urine is typically clean and sterile. True, nitrogen compounds in urine can react with chlorine in pools and cause eye or respiratory tract irritation in some people. If someone experiences red eyes or wheezing, they might find a saltwater pool a better choice. Or less ...
Source: Conversations with Dr Greene - Category: Child Development Authors: Tags: Dr. Greene's Blog Outdoor Outdoor Fun Outdoor Safety Water Quality Source Type: blogs