Analysisi of Water Quality of Indoor Swimming Pools and Its Related Health Hazards
Analysisi of Water Quality of Indoor Swimming Pools and Its Related Health Hazards
com
International Journal of
CODEN: IJRSFP (USA)
Recent Scientific
International Journal of Recent Scientific Research Research
Vol. 8, Issue, 11, pp. 21426-21431, November, 2017
ISSN: 0976-3031 DOI: 10.24327/IJRSR
Research Article
ANALYSIS OF WATER QUALITY OF INDOOR SWIMMING POOLS AND ITS
RELATED HEALTH HAZARDS
Jolly Jacob* and Akbar S
Department of Applied Science Abu Dhabi University
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.24327/ijrsr.2017.0811.1072
Article History: Water quality of indoor swimming pools and its related health hazards are studied in this research.
Swimming is one common recreational activity these days and numerous swimming pools have
Received 17th August, 2017
been installed in hotels and apartments for the people to have their leisure time. But apart from
Received in revised form 21th
recreational purposes the water quality of the pool is to be considered equally, as there are many
September, 2017
health risks posed as result of being exposed to the swimming pools regularly. In order to determine
Accepted 28th October, 2017
the water quality laboratory analysis of five samples of indoor swimming pools in Abu Dhabi
Published online 28th November, 2017
Emirate were collected and tested for the concentration of chlorine, copper, iron, zinc, sulfate and
nitrate, The pH, TDS and temperature were also measured. Based on all the parameters, values
Key Words:
were collected and observations were made to see whether any of the disinfectant exceeded the
Water quality, Swimming pool, health limits and maximum standards as regulated by the government. Chlorine content exceeded the
hazard, Chlorine, TDS maximum value out forward by the government and there are many health hazards caused as a result
of ingesting and inhaling chlorine gas and its byproducts formed. Health conditions such as asthma,
chronic respiratory illness, and skin and eye irritations and numerous other diseases are caused by
the exposure to chlorinated waters.
Copyright © Jolly Jacob and Akbar S, 2017, this is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative
Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the
original work is properly cited.
LITERATURE REVIEW and Labrador, the main chemical parameters required for the
proper functioning of pool includes pH, Total alkalinity,
Humans regularly using the indoor chlorinated swimming hardness, disinfectants, physical parameters include water
pools are being exposed to high amounts of disinfection temperature, biological standards include tests for E.coli,
byproducts (Chowdhury, 2015). The most frequently used Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and standard
disinfectant to maintain the pool water quality is chlorine, says Plate Count(2004).
centers of disease control and prevention (Barrett, 2013). When
exposed to chlorine by the swimmers, swimming pool workers In Illinois two outbreaks took place as a result of being exposed
and others the risk of developing respiratory diseases, breathing to indoor motel swimming pools in 2004, and it was reported
problems, cough and throat related diseases (Jacob & Cherian, that 72 persons, mostly including children, were affected by
2015). The chlorine being used in the swimming pools as a heart attack and other associated diseases due to the exposure
disinfectant to stop the waterborne diseases from spreading will to chloramine after few minutes of entering into the
react with the components that is shed in to the water by the pool(Centers for disease control and prevention, 2007).
swimmers, natural organic matter (NOM), bromide , iodide and Compared to confined and enclosed indoor swimming pools
leads to the formation of disinfection by products apart from where the chloramines evaporate to the atmosphere and reach
killing the pathogens in water (Chowdhury, 2015). Due to the higher concentration levels posing a higher health risk, the
increased temperature in the swimming pools the chlorine gets outdoor swimming pools do not have any health risks related to
deteriorated and to balance it out more chlorine is added to the chloramines (Centers for disease control and prevention, 2007).
water forming more free residual chlorine which will also fuel Acute respiratory tract and eye irritation, respiratory diseases
up the formation of the disinfection by products ,and including asthma, cough, chest tightness, wheezing can also be
chloramines, THMs, and HAAs are the most commonly found caused as a result of being exposed to chloramine(Centers for
DBPs(Chowdhury, 2015). disease control and prevention, 2010).
1.0-3.0 ppm is the normal level of chlorine in the swimming During an investigation conducted by NIOSH in an indoor
pools and later on may increase depending upon how the water park resort related to diseases like eye irritation and
surface water gets impure (Angione, Mcclenaghan, & Laplante, respiratory disorders, it was reported that almost 80 workers
2010). In order to avoid severe conditions of recreational water and other supporters in the workplace suffered from severe
illnesses the governing bodies set certain standards for each irritation in eyes and respiratory system, itchy and burning eyes
chemicals;therefore, the level of chemicals to be added into the and nose, cough, wheezing, and chest congestion within a
water are done by following the government rules and the ones month of opening of the park and its was caused due to the
who operate the pool and other responsible officials must abide exposure to DBPs and endotoxins in the water(Centers for
the rules put forward by the government in order maintain the disease control and prevention, 2010). There exists some
pool water quality(Angione, Mcclenaghan, & Laplante, 2010). pathogens in the indoor swimming pools that is not inactivated
by the disinfectant chlorine added and intake of this water
According to WHO, Trihalomethanes and chloramines are which contain microbes and other chemicals can cause
main types of irritants found in swimming pool waters (Jacob recreational water illnesses (Centers for disease control and
& Cherian, 2015). The chlorine in water also gets reacted with prevention, 2015). Gastrointestinal, neurologic, skin, ear,
ammonia content present in the urine and thereby forms respiratory, and eye related infections are the main types of
chloramine which is toxic and is present in greater amounts in infections resulted from recreational water illnesses(Centers for
the swimming pools(Chowdhury, 2015). Oxidants that are disease control and prevention, 2015).
chlorine based is present in hot tubs , whirl pools and other
enclosed areas other than swimming pools(Angione, In a study that took place in Belgium and Netherlands, it was
Mcclenaghan, & Laplante, 2010).The chloramines stay in water found out that exposure of kids that are less than 2 years old to
or creates a strong odor by getting dissipated into the chlorinated swimming pools are likely to suffer from asthma,
atmosphere; also, out of monochloramine, dichloramine and allergies related to respiratory system, and bronchitis(Dewar,
trichloramine, trichloramine gets evaporated easily and leads 2013). A recent study found out that the disinfected waters
to more irritation and other health effects(Centers for disease have an impact on the DNA of mammals, which means that
control and prevention, 2007). Chloramine concentration is there is a risk of developing cancer in humans as a result of
mainly caused due to factors such as chlorine concentration, being exposed to DBPs in pools (Dewar, 2013). According to
pH, temperature, and when particles undergo aerosolization WHO, in an interview conducted for 128 individuals who were
apart from number of people using the water(Centers for exposed to indoor swimming pool in a hotel the prevalent
disease control and prevention, 2010). Trichloramine present in symptoms found out was cough (84%), eye irritation (78%) and
the gaseous phase is a highly concentrated oxidant (Angione, rash (34%) and the people who are near or in the pool was
Mcclenaghan, & Laplante, 2010). More toxic effects to the affected by the chlorine exposure (Public Health Journal).
cells and genetic information is caused by the DBPs that mostly According to WHO, serious illness and health disorders have
contain nitrogen and bromine than the DBPs that mostly been diagnosed in workers who are exposed to chlorinated
contain chlorine(Chowdhury, 2015). swimming pool has been reported(Jacob & Cherian, 2015). The
diseases that may be caused depending upon the severity of
The main routes through which chemicals in the water can exposure and the diseases caused include laryngeal oedema,
enter to the human body are ingestion, inhalation of the asthma attacks, chemical burns of the upper and lower airway
chemicals and through the skin surface(Chowdhury, 2015). mucosa, and chemical pneumonitis(Nemery, Hoet, & D, 2002).
According to Department of Health and Community Services All in all, severe health problems has been identified which
Disease Control and Epidemiology Division in Newfoundland
21427 | P a g e
International Journal of Recent Scientific Research Vol. 8, Issue, 11, pp. 21426-21431, November, 2017
resulted from the long-term exposure to swimming pools and steps were repeated for each sample and for different
the health effects has been listen in various articles. chemical element tests. The results were tabulated and
compared with international limits and standards for
Objectives
concentration of elements in indoor pool water.
The main objective of this research is to know the water quality
Results and Interpretation of Data
of indoor swimming pools by analyzing the content of chlorine,
sulphate, nitrate, zinc, copper, and iron, total dissolved salts The results of the swimming pool water Analysis Lab will be
(TDS), pH and Temperature of the five samples of water explained in detail in this section. The results of Total
collected from different indoor swimming pools in Abu Dhabi. Dissolved salts (TDS), pH and Temperature of the five samples
Also, the health hazards related to each element being present of the swimming pool water are given below:
in the water samples is to be known. The concentration of each
Table 1 Temperature, pH and TDS in the samples tested.
chemical element being present in the samples collected is to
be compared to the standards and limits of chemical elements Sample Temperature pH TDS
that are to be present in an indoor swimming poolput forward Sample 1 29.5oC 7.7 123
Sample 2 29oC 7.9 107
by the government and has to be concluded. The health hazards Sample 3 30oC 7.7 240
and risks posed by the excess accumulation of these chemicals Sample 4 29oC 7.4 106
will also be discussed in this report. Sample 5 29.5oC 8.1 250
21428 | P a g e
Jolly Jacob and Akbar S., Analysis of Water Quality of Indoor Swimming Pools And Its Related Health Hazards
Table 2 Chlorine concentration in the samples tested. serious health effects are caused (Environmental Protection
Chlorine Agency). The higher level of irritation in the chlorine element
Sample leads to burns to the people being exposed to higher
content (Mg/L)
Sample 1 3.33 concentrations (Environmental Protection Agency).It has been
Sample 2 4.44 found through animal tests that more toxic effects are caused to
Sample 3 12.7
Sample 4 0.14 the body when chlorine is inhaled (Environmental Protection
Sample 5 1.88 Agency). Chronically being exposed to the chlorine gas has
made the people working in the indoor pool areas to develop
The chlorine level found in the samples that were tested ranged
airway restrictions (Environmental Protection Agency). Also
from 0.14 mg/L being the least from 12.7 mg/L of chlorine
for the test done for animals, it was evident that there is a
which is the highest of the results. According to World Health
decrease in the body and body irritations caused as result of
Organization, the regular levels of chlorine in indoor pools are
being exposed to chlorine gas (Environmental Protection
1 mg/L-3 mg/L (Angione, Mcclenaghan, & Laplante, 2010).
Agency).
WHO also advises that the chlorine level should not go beyond
3 mg/L in swimming pools (Angione, Mcclenaghan, & Sulphate Content
Laplante, 2010).
Wavelength in spectrophotometer:450 nm
WHO also recommends that the pool water should follow the
Table 3 Sulphate content in the samples tested
drinking water standards and the level of chlorine in swimming
pool waters thereby should not go beyond 5 mg/L as the Sample
Sulphate content
drinking water standards (National Collaborating Centre for (mg/L)
Sample 1 1
Environmental Health ). Sample 2 19
Sample 3 65
But in the samples tested, in two of the samples the chlorine Sample 4 1
level went beyond the acceptable levels, out of which one Sample 5 18
sample had a chlorine content of 4.44 mg/L which is slightly
higher than the limits set by WHO and the other one gave a According to pool water treatment advisory group, the sulphate
value of 12.7 mg/L which is very high compared to the concentrations in the swimming pool waters have a standards
standard set by WHO. This will pose a very high and serious limit of 300 mg/L(Pool Water Treatment Advisory Group,
health risk to the swimmers, the pool workers and others 2011). The values obtained during the laboratory analysis
exposed to the pool area. ranged from 1- 65 mg/L, which is within the standard limit and
lower when compared to the standard limit. Therefore the
The strong odor of the Chlorine is one main problem associated indoor pool water has no excess of sulphate concentration in it
with chlorinated water and this will lead to health problems like to cause potential health effects.
irritation of eyes and the respiratory system of human body
which is mainly due to the evidence of chloramine in the Zinc Content
chlorinated water (Angione, Mcclenaghan, & Laplante, 2010). Wavelength in spectrophotometer: 620 nm
The hypochlorite and ammonia compounds which are
generated from the urine and sweat of the swimmers using the Table 4 Zinc concentration in samples tested
swimming pool will form the monochloramine and Zinc content
Sample
dichloramine (Angione, Mcclenaghan, & Laplante, 2010) The (Mg/L)
group of people who are at the greatest risk for developing Sample 1 0.13
Sample 2 0.14
respiratory illnesses and adverse conditions such as asthma Sample 3 0.13
which is caused due to the exposure of chlorine includes Sample 4 0.17
children, elite swimmers, lifeguards and employees of indoor Sample 5 0.28
swimming pools (Angione, Mcclenaghan, & Laplante, 2010). According to American National Standard for Water Quality in
Other health effects include: public pools and spas, the maximum limit set for the metal Zinc
is 5.0 ppm (Association of pool and spa professionals, 2009).
Acute effects such as Chlorine cause irritation to eyes in
So compared to the limits set, the zinc concentration contained
humans, irritation to upper respiratory tract and lungs
analyzed in the five samples very low. The results of zinc
(Environmental Protection Agency). Some health effects concentration the samples tested ranged from 0.13 ppm or
associated with short term exposure to chlorine at various mg/L to 0.28 ppm / mg/L, which is very low.
concentration includes: at 0.014 to 0.054 ppm or mg/L tickling
of the nose happens, at 0.014 to 0.054 ppm or mg/L tickling of Copper Content
throat happens, at 0.06 to 0.3 ppm or mg/L, nose itching, Wavelength in spectrophotometer: 560 nm
coughing, stinging, nose and throat dryness caused, at 0.35 to
0.72 ppm pain after a period of 15 minutes is noticed, and if the Table 5 copper concentration in samples tested
chlorine concentration is above 1 ppm or mg/L ocular and Copper Content
Sample
respiratory irritation, shortness of breath, and headaches may (Mg/L)
be caused (Environmental Protection Agency). At 1-3 ppm, Sample 1 0.12
which is increased concentration of chlorine the health effects Sample 2 0.18
Sample 3 0.19
caused is mild mucous membrane irritation at 30 ppm or mg/L Sample 4 0.13
chest pain, vomiting, dyspnea, and cough is notice. At 40-60 Sample 5 0.39
ppm or mg/L toxic pneumonitis, pulmonary edema and other
21429 | P a g e
International Journal of Recent Scientific Research Vol. 8, Issue, 11, pp. 21426-21431, November, 2017
The concentration of copper as analyzed in the samples range regulated airflow or ventilation within the enclosed indoor
from 0.12 mg/L to 0.39 mg/L in the 5 samples. The maximum swimming pool area, the chloramines that are being produced
and recommended limit of copper concentration in the and the gas exchanges during breathing by the swimmers are
swimming pool waters is 0.3 mg/L (Contra Costa Health the leading and obvious causes of severe respiratory illness that
Services ).And according to American National Standard For is being evident in the people who are regularly being exposed
Water Quality in public pools and spas, the maximum limit set to swimming pool waters (Angione, Mcclenaghan, & Laplante,
for copper is 1.0 ppm / mg/L. Therefore, the values obtained 2010). Allergies, bronchitis, asthma, eye irritation are the few
are within the permissible range, except that in one sample the among other types of diseases caused due to the exposure to
copper content was found to be 0.39 mg/L when compared to indoor swimming pool(Angione, Mcclenaghan, & Laplante,
the limit 0.3 mg/L. In all other samples the concentration was 2010). On the other hand, the tests for other elements that were
found to be very low and was within the limit set by the done gave results in favor of reduced health effects. There was
government. very little or no concentration of metals such as zinc, iron,
copper. The element sulphate and nitrates were present in very
Iron Content
small amounts that were low compared to the maximum limit
Wavelength in spectrophotometer: 510 nm set by the government. The government has to take more steps
in implementing the swimming pool safety, for the better health
Table 6 Iron concentration in the samples tested
of the people. Regular checks must be done by the pool
Iron Content administrators to see if any disinfectant exceeds the limit;
Sample
( Mg/L)
Sample 1 0.01
moreover, proper education and most importantly general
Sample 2 0.03 awareness about the health effects of being exposed to indoor
Sample 3 0.02 swimming pool regularly must be made understood for the
Sample 4 0.03 community.
Sample 5 0.07
The results obtained for the tests done to know the References
concentrations of iron in the sample ranged from 0.01 to (n.d.). Retrieved from Governemnt of Dubai:
0.07mg/L. The maximum limit of iron that can be present in https://www.dm.gov.ae/wps/wcm/connect/1255210046c
the swimming pool waters if 0.2 (Contra Costa Health Services abc3fad67effd83920d2a/DM-PH%26SD-P7-TG01-
). So compared to the standard limits set by the government, (Guidelines+for+Swimming+Pool+Safety).pdf?MOD=A
the iron concentration in the samples collected was very low JPERES
and there will not be health risk associated with it as it is (n.d.).
present in very minute quantities. (n.d.). Retrieved from pool wizard:
Nitrate Content http://www.poolwizard.net/problems/tds.htm (2004,
March). Retrieved from
Wavelength in spectrophotometer: 507 nm http://www.servicenl.gov.nl.ca/licenses/env_health/pool
Table 7 Nitrate concentration in samples tested s/water_quality_march.pdf
World Health Organization. (2006). Retrieved from
Nitrate http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/bathing/srw
Sample content e2full.pdf
(Mg/L) Centers for disease control and prevention. (2007).
Sample 1 0.02 Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/
Sample 2 0.02
Sample 3 0.05 mmwrhtml/mm5636a1.htm
Sample 4 0.01 Association of pool and spa professionals. (2009). Retrieved
Sample 5 0.01 from nsf: http://standards.nsf.org/apps/group_public/
download.php/17496/ANSI-APSP-11%202009-for-
As seen in the results displayed, the nitrate content is very low
apsp-store.pdf
and almost near zero in the five indoor swimming pool sample
waters tested. Usually the source of nitrates includes fertilizers (2010). Retrieved from Centers for disease control and
prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/wp-
and other toxic sources. In these swimming pool waters very
solutions/2010-138/pdfs/2010-138.pdf
low and negligible concentrations were obtained.
Pool Water Treatment Advisory Group. (2011). Retrieved
CONCLUSION from http://pwtag.org/technicalnotes/sulphate-attack/
(2015, March). Retrieved from Better health channel:
In conclusion, from the lab analysis done it can be understood https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving
that chlorine is the one main disinfectant that is used in higher /swimming-pools-and-water-quality
amounts in the indoor swimming pool waters in order keep the (2015). Retrieved from Centers for disease control and
water free from pathogens and to prevent the spread of water prevention:
borne diseases. But in the analysis done, it was found that in http://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/swimming/rwi/
few of the samples the chlorine content was very high and it Angione, S., Mcclenaghan, H., & Laplante, A. (2010). A
greatly exceeded the standards and limits set internationally by Review of Chlorine In Indoor Swimming Pools And Its
the government. The disinfectant chlorine when used in greater Increased Risk of Adverse Health Effect.
amount than the permissible limits have profound effects on the Interdisciplinary Journal of Health Sciences.
human health and pose dangerous health risks due to the
adverse health conditions that it can lead to. The badly
21430 | P a g e
Jolly Jacob and Akbar S., Analysis of Water Quality of Indoor Swimming Pools And Its Related Health Hazards
Barrett, B. (2013, october 21). Retrieved from Jacob, J., & Cherian, J. (2015). Sustainability Management
http://www.livestrong.com/article/258007-what-are-the- for Reducing the Health Hazards in the Indoor
dangers-of-indoor-swimming-pools/ Swimming Pools of UAE. Canadian Center of Science
Chowdhury, S. (2015). Predicting human exposure and risk and Education.
from chlorinated indoor swimming pool: a case study. National Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health.
Switzerland : Springer International Publishing . (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.ncceh.ca/documents/
Contra Costa Health Services . (n.d.). Retrieved from practice-scenario/pool-chlorination-and-closure-
http://cchealth.org/eh/recreational- guidelines
health/pdf/pool_operation_requirements.pdf Nemery, B., Hoet, P., & D, N. (2002). Retrieved from
Dewar, G. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.parenting http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/19/5/790
science.com/swimming-pools.html Pahlén. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.pahlen.com/users-
Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.). Retrieved from guide/ph-and-chlorine
https://www3.epa.gov/airtoxics/hlthef/chlorine.html Public Health Journal. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.publichealthjrnl.com/article/S0033-
3506(07)00203-X/abstract
*******
21431 | P a g e