Scientist reveals the stomach-churning truth about the chlorine smell in swimming pools
But swimmers be warned - as public pools and water parks could be riddled with germs that can trigger a range of health issues, an expert has warned.
It means a quick dip could spark a bout of diarrhoea, an itchy rash or a condition known as swimmer's ear - ruining summer plans.
While you might be reassured by a strong smell of chlorine, the chemical doesn't work instantly and it doesn't kill everything, according to a microbiologist.
'On hot summer days, few things are more refreshing than a dip in the pool,' Lisa Cuchara, a professor of biomedical sciences at Quinnipiac University in Connecticut, wrote on The Conversation.
'But have you ever wondered if the pool is as clean as that crystal blue water appears?'
Professor Cuchara studies how germs spread in public spaces and said the 'ick-factor' of communal swimming spaces 'does have some merit'.
So, will her warnings put you off your next planned swim?
Over the last 25 years, swimming pools have been the most common setting for outbreaks of waterborne infectious intestinal disease in England and Wales, figures show.
The biggest culprit is Cryptosporidium, a parasite that can cause a stomach bug which lasts up to two weeks.
'Even in a pool that's properly treated with chlorine, some pathogens can linger for minutes to days,' Professor Cuchara said.
'One of the most common culprits is Cryptosporidium, a microscopic germ that causes watery diarrhoea.'
She said the germ spreads when faecal matter enters the water and is swallowed by another swimmer.
Even a tiny amount, invisible to the naked eye, can infect dozens of people, she said.
The Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria is another common germ that can cause issues such as hot tub rash - a skin infection that appears as a red, itchy bumpy rash that develops around hair follicles.
It can also trigger swimmer's ear, an infection of the outer ear canal often caused by bacteria or fungi growing in the ear canal after water gets trapped there.
Norovirus, commonly known as the stomach bug, and adenovirus, which typically causes cold or flu-like symptoms, can also linger in pool water and cause illness, she said.
A strong chlorine smell could also be cause for concern.
Substances such as sweat and urine - which are commonly found in pool water - interact with chlorine to form chemical by-products called chloramines that may pose health risks.
'These byproducts are responsible for that strong chlorine smell,' Professor Cuchara added.
'A clean pool should actually lack a strong chlorine odour.
'It's a common myth that a strong chlorine smell is a good sign of a clean pool. In fact, it may actually be a red flag that means the opposite - that the water is contaminated and should perhaps be avoided.'
Tips to help prevent yourself falling ill include trying to keep water out of your mouth, showering after swimming and drying ears thoroughly.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
21 minutes ago
- The Sun
Jeremy Clarkson reveals ‘steep learning curve' after ‘enormous' disruption caused by TB outbreak at Diddly Squat
JEREMY Clarkson has revealed the "steep learning curve" he faced after a TB outbreak at Diddly Squat caused "enormous" disruption. The TV star, 65, has been left "absolutely devastated" by the news, which is the latest blow for the hard-hit team on the farm. 2 2 Bovine Tuberculosis (bTB) is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium bovis, which can also infect and cause disease in cats, badgers and dogs. Jeremy explained how no cows could be introduced to, or leave, the farm until another test can be done on his cattle. However, the ex- Top Gear host added that a calf had also become unwell following the outbreak. Now, Jeremy has spoken out about the "enormous" extent of the disruption faced on his farm. He told The Times he was on a "very steep learning curve". Jeremy told the outlet: "The disruption's enormous, because you aren't allowed to operate as a business. "You have to isolate them for two months. So all the barns we needed to store the grain in, we now have to convert into a cow hospital. "We've got another calf with pneumonia, so that needs to be housed. "And we can't buy or sell a cow now because the farm officially, you know, has TB.' But in some good news for fans, he said the farm shop would remain open and unaffected. Clarkson said reports that his farm was shut were 'ridiculous'. 'We're trying to carry on with the harvest and everything, but TB focuses the mind,' he said. It comes after the Sun columnist revealed in another blow that his puppy died hours after he was handed the heartbreaking news about his farm. The devastated farmer told how his puppy had died through the night. He is also trying to care for a "very sickly calf". The Top Gear icon revealed he is not enjoying his new profession this week. And on Sunday, Jeremy revealed his red Labrador Arya had given birth to 11 puppies. He and his wife Lisa Hogan acted as midwives for the adorable pups while the Lionesses roared to victory in the Euros final. Meanwhile, on the latest series of his Amazon Prime show, Jeremy revealed how endless rain had sparked chaos on the farm last year. The Diddly Squat Farm Shop's Instagram page wrote: "It's going to be a rough year. All that seed sowed, drowned with the constant rain." What is bovine TB? Bovine Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease of cattle and badgers. It is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis) which can also infect and cause disease in many other mammals including humans, deer, goats, pigs, cats, dogs and badgers. In cattle, it is mainly a respiratory disease. What are the symptoms? It is hard to spot bovine TB as the signs are similar to other diseases and normally only develop in the advanced stages. It is normally picked up in cattle testing before clinical signs develop or during inspections of slaughtered cattle. Animals can get thinner, have a light fever that keeps coming back, appear weak and have a reduced appetite. Some will also have swollen lymph nodes, in the neck and a moist cough which is worse in the morning and during cold weather or exercise. The government states it may cause chronic mastitis, an infection of the udder. How is transferred between animals? Evidence of bovine TB is most commonly found in the lymph glands of throat and lungs of affected animals. They spread the disease mainly through coughing and sneezing. Bacteria are released into the air and inhaled by other animals in close contact. The disease can pass from badgers to cattle via close contact - and vice versa. Contaminated equipment, animal waste, feed and pasture can also transfer the infection. Can humans catch it from cattle? Humans can catch bovine TB through: unpasteurised milk or dairy products from an infected cow, buffalo, goat or sheep inhaling bacteria breathed out by infected animals inhaling bacteria released from the carcasses of infected animals or from their excretions (such as faeces) Infection is more likely if an unprotected wound is exposed to bacteria from an infected animal. But the government insists the risk of infection is very low for the vast majority of the population. Symptoms are similar to human TB, including weight loss, fever, night sweats and a persistent cough. Anyone who develops these symptoms should consult a doctor. The disease can be treated by a complex combination of drugs over a long period. And Clarkson's right-hand man Kaleb Cooper was the victim of soaring tool theft after robbers nicked a £7,000 farm tool this week. The farmer turned TV hero, 27, told fans his pricey post knocker, used for hammering in fences, had been stolen on Tuesday. Another firm's £70k John Deere tractor was also taken, with a burnt-out SUV car found down the road. Meanwhile, earlier this month Jeremy slammed the "fun police" after his big-budget beer advert was banned from TV and radio. Keen to spread the word about Diddly Squat Farm's Hawkstone lager, The Sun columnist hired a 34-strong choir of real British farmers to sing their own version of a classic opera tune. Hilariously, the farmers switched up the words to sing: "F*** me it's good".
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Mother was 'stuck in hell' as NHS hospital staff refused to wash her while she lay in bed with broken back
A mother who was paralysed in a freak fundraising accident was left to fester in her own faeces for days after hospital staff refused to clean her. Cheryll Rich, 38, broke her back after tumbling into a canal lock last summer and was unable to move anything from the waist down. She was sent to St Mary's Hospital in London for emergency spinal surgery before moving into Basildon University Hospital's 'notorious' Linford Ward to recover. But while here, Ms Rich said medics 'dehumanised' her, refusing to wash her, change her heavily soiled hospital gowns, replace her water for five days or answer her desperate cries for help. Her horrified partner, Jack Barnes, 51, was forced to clean the mess off his stricken lover himself after hospital staff 'handed him a bowl of water and told him to go do it'. The hospital's director of nursing has since issued an apology to Ms Rich for the 'distress' and 'unacceptable' treatment she received during her nightmare five-day stay on the ward, last September. Speaking out for the first time about her ordeal, wheelchair-bound Ms Rich told the Daily Mail: 'I felt like I wasn't a human. I felt dehumanised and demoralised. I felt the lowest point I possibly could have been. 'I was on my monthly cycle and my other half had to clean me when I was not only covered in faeces but in blood too. From the bottom of my back and up to my bum – all over my stitches and everything – it was covered in faeces. 'My catheter hadn't been changed for days; they didn't change my water jug for five days - I wasn't even worthy of water. You've gone from being physically able to absolutely helpless. 'You look at the NHS and its staff as someone there to help you. But I felt I had done something really wrong, like I was in the way, like I was a burden.... It's like I had done a really horrific crime. They treated me like a criminal. 'I felt like I was stuck in hell.' Cheryll's nightmare started on August 8, last year. She had been helping her partner as he kayaked from Liverpool to London to raise money for Little Havens children's hospice, in Essex. She was in a support kayak with her daughter, Misty, 12, and was opening the lock when a platform gave way and she tumbled 7ft to the ground, breaking her spine. She was rushed to A&E in Watford before she was transferred to St Mary's for an emergency spinal operation, and after six days - which included three in intensive care - she was moved to Basildon to recover. But here she says staff on the Linford Ward treated her with disdain, 'rolling their eyes' when she asked for help, while vaping, playing loud music, and eating takeaways in the ward at night. She needed to be turned every two hours to prevent bedsores but she was unable to do this herself due to her injury. However, she claimed hospital staff treated her 'roughly' when they needed to do the procedure before then leaving her to try and do it herself. On one occasion, Ms Rich says she used a buzzer to call for help before being greeted by a male medical assistant who 'burst into the room with such an angry look'. 'I was petrified. He walked in and threw the buzzer over the back of the bed. Then he stormed off,' she said. When Ms Rich used her phone to call the ward, she said staff laughed at her and told her they 'couldn't believe you had to ring us'. 'I felt completely humiliated and helpless,' she added. Ms Rich claims her room had no curtain and that when she was eventually changed, it was in 'full view' of the public outside. Speaking of how staff allegedly refused to wash her, she said: 'I was left feeling scared, unclean and desperately in need of washing. Despite expressing my concerns about body odour and the state of my hygiene, my requests were ignored.' In a letter to the hospital - seen by the Mail - she wrote: 'My partner offered to come and help wash me. When he arrived, it became evident I had soiled myself due to the lack of care. A staff member handed him a bowl and cleaning sachet without providing proper assistance and said to him 'help yourself'.' Ms Rich's partner Jack said he was appalled by what Cheryll had to endure, adding it left him in 'floods of tears'. 'Her dignity means something, and she lost of all that. She was covered in faeces and crying her eyes out. It was so embarrassing,' he told the Mail. 'To see her like this and not being able to do something, it was heartbreaking.' He added: 'I had to stay strong and shield my emotions and feelings. But the emotions I felt were indescribable. I was sick, disgusted, and shocked. 'When I got home, I was in floods of tears in the living room and thought my whole life was breaking down.' Ms Rich was later moved to the Horndon Ward, where she said staff were 'appalled' at her treatment in Linford Ward. Jen Craft, Labour MP for Thurrock has been assisting Ms Rich and was horrified by her treatment. 'The standard of care Cheryll received is completely unacceptable. It is deeply concerning that while in pain and discomfort, her needs were ignored,' the MP told the Mail. 'I'm glad the trust has listened to her terrible experience at the hospital and rightly apologised. It's vital that there are now clear steps taken to prevent this happening again, as part of broader improvement work at Basildon Hospital.' In a letter to Ms Rich, Emma Sweeney, director of nursing at the hospital, apologised for the 38-year-old's treatment and insisted the centre would 'learn from it'. Ms Sweeney wrote: 'I am sorry that your requests for assistance with personal hygiene were not responded to appropriately, and that your husband had to step in to help you wash. 'It was unacceptable that staff failed to provide the necessary support and instead handed you a bowl without offering further help. 'This matter has been addressed with the team, and all staff have been reminded of the importance of delivering personal care with dignity, respect, and compassion at all times.' However, despite her treatment, Ms Rich says no staff members have been formally punished for their actions, which she described as 'shocking'. 'Someone should be held responsible. But no-one has... I could have got sepsis. One day someone will die there,' she added. James McMurdock, MP for South Basildon and East Thurrock, said he would be writing to the hospital's chief executive 'personally' to demand answers. He told the Mail: 'I know Basildon Hospital well. My children were born there. If my family or myself fell ill it is Basildon Hospital I would put my trust in to make us well, but this is a terribly sad account of the standards on the ward. 'Given the gravity of some of the complaints raised I am not satisfied with the statement that no staff member could be identified. That indicates a lack of control. A lack of control indicates low standards. Low standards in a hospital are unacceptable. 'It is also concerning that it took a complaint from a badly injured patient to prompt the replacement of a window blind. Not to mention accusations of vaping, mockery, and abuse.' Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust refused to say whether any staff had been reprimanded over the 'unacceptable' level of care Ms Rich received, when approached by the Mail. In a statement, Diane Sarkar, chief nursing and quality officer at the trust, said: 'Ms Rich's care did not meet the standard we would expect and we have sincerely apologised for her experience. 'After looking into the concerns raised we have reassured her that we've spoken to the ward involved to make sure learning and actions are taken from this and addressed.'
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Four cost-free measures to secure your home and stop burglars when you're on holiday
HOLIDAY season can mean rich pickings for thieves, so make sure your home is secure when you go away. These measures cost nothing but should help save you the heavy price of a break-in. KEEP SCHTUM: Don't tell the world when you're going away for a few days. You never know who is listening, so avoid broadcasting an upcoming holiday to friends in the pub or telling half the town in the local shop. The same goes for social media. If you can't resist sharing your sunny pictures, make sure your posts aren't public so that they can only be seen by your friends. Better still, hold off posting until you're safely back home. SWAP FAVOURS WITH A FRIEND: Making your home look lived in is an important line of defence against thieves. Ask a friend if they can pop by to pick up your post, park on your drive and close the curtains after dark. If it seems like a big ask, offer to return the favour when they take their own trip. You can also put your lights on a timer switch to make it look like someone is home in the evening. SECURE YOUR STUFF: Don't put valuables on display. Hide tech and other expensive items, or leave them with someone you trust. Place keys out of sight, shut away in a drawer, and clear your hallway of handbags. Lock away ladders and tools so they can't be used to get into your home and bring expensive bikes and outdoor kit inside. Why You Should Blur Your Home on Google Maps – Safety Tips for Homeowners Take photos of jewellery and register your precious items for free at the national property register ( CHECK, MATE: Make sure you have up-to-date building and contents insurance. Read your policy in case you should take specific measures before you go away. And while you are at it, you may as well unplug all unnecessary appliances to save on energy bills and cut the risk of electrical fires. All prices on page correct at time of going to press. Deals and offers subject to availability. 6 Deal of day LOOK after little feet in the sturdy Kickers rip-tape leather shoes, down from £50 to £30 at M&S. SAVE: £20 Cheap treat 6 USE the Greene King app to track down £3 Aperol Spritzes this weekend. They are being served to celebrate National Spritz Day. WHAT'S NEW UNTIL August 20 at Lidl, scan the Lidl Plus app at the checkout with any purchase for the chance to play spin the wheel and win a free croissant or cake. Top swap 6 SWEEP Benefit's Bad Gal Bang mascara, left, £27 from through your lashes or open your eyes to Aldi's Lacura Girl Gone Bad mascara, right, £5.99. Shop & save HEAD to Sainsbury's this weekend for savings on 35 Laila products. A 10kg bag of basmati rice is down from £19 to £9.50 with a Nectar card. Hot right now GET ready for next school term with three selected stationery products for the price of two at Ryman. PLAY NOW TO WIN £200 6 JOIN thousands of readers taking part in The Sun Raffle. Every month we're giving away £100 to 250 lucky readers - whether you're saving up or just in need of some extra cash, The Sun could have you covered. Every Sun Savers code entered equals one Raffle ticket.
