Hidden harm to health: why chlorinate water in Russia?

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

What are the benefits of bleach? How harmful is bleach to health? Ingestion of hazardous substances through the stomach and skin How to protect yourself from harmful effects?

Chlorination is a popular way to disinfect water. The method, invented before the beginning of the twentieth century, is still in demand, being used in many areas of our life. Most often it is the purification of drinking and tap water, as well as the disinfection of swimming pools. Despite the constant controversy regarding the harm of chlorinated water, there is currently no better alternative for its purification, which is as affordable and able to exclude re-contamination of the liquid running through the pipes. How useful and harmful chlorinated water is, MedAboutMe figured out.

What are the benefits of bleach?

Bleach, or bleach, is produced by the interaction of chlorine with calcium hydroxide. Chlorine is a poison. It is a poisonous gas used in sanitation and even military affairs. Chlorine was one of the first gases to be used as a chemical weapon during the First World War. Bleach itself can be in a solid or liquid state. It effectively kills bacteria and prevents water pollution.

Experts say that chlorine is one of the most significant discoveries of the 20th century. For the first time, water disinfection with its help was carried out in London in order to overcome the cholera epidemic. This practice quickly spread throughout the world. But soon scientists started talking about the dangers of bleach, calling it one of the main factors that increase the risk of cancer. But, nevertheless, mankind could not refuse bleach either then or now. For example, an attempt to end chlorination of water in Peru in 1991 resulted in a new outbreak of cholera.

In fairness, it should be noted that today there are other methods of water purification. In particular, these are ozonation and ultraviolet radiation. But none of them has a bactericidal aftereffect, that is, water purified with their help is easily re-infected. Accordingly, both of these methods of water purification can only be used in conjunction with chlorination, but at the same time they can reduce the amount of used reagents containing chlorine.

Chlorination of water is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it effectively disinfects water, which prevents the spread of a huge number of infectious diseases, and on the other hand, it poisons our body. Choosing the lesser of two evils, let's consider what dangers water with bleach can pose.

How harmful is chlorine to health?

The level of health hazard is determined not so much by the presence of chlorine in the water as by its amount. The amount of active chlorine added depends on the number of pathogenic bacteria, the amount of all organic matter, microorganisms and oxidizing inorganic substances. The dosage of the disinfecting reagent is calculated taking into account the individual characteristics of the water, which are determined empirically. With its lack, there is no need to hope for the necessary bactericidal effect, and with an excess, a significant risk to health is likely. The admissibility of the amount of the reagent is determined by the concentration of residual chlorine that is present in the water after the oxidation of the substances contained in it:

for a centralized hot water supply system, the norm is 0.3-0.5 mg / l of residual free and 0.8-1.2 mg / l of bound chlorine; in the water of public pools, the presence of 0.3-0.5 mg / l of residual free chlorine is permissible, but with certain epidemiological indicators, the rate can be increased to 0.7 mg / l; in children's pools it is permissible - 0, 1-0, 3 mg / l.

If in the pools, in addition to chlorination, ozonation or ultraviolet radiation is used to disinfect water, the indicator of residual free chlorine should be 0.1-0.3 mg / l.

Ingestion of hazardous substances through the stomach and skin

Exposure to water with an excess of chlorine on the body threatens to disturb the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and increases the risk of developing gallstones and urolithiasis. Chlorine also destroys vitamin E, which is necessary for the normal functioning of the reproductive system. It penetrates into our body not only with drinking tap water, but also through the skin in the shower or pool. Visitors to public pools, where chlorine is abused to disinfect water, may face the problem of developing dry eye syndrome, which leads to visual impairment. Moreover, frequent contact with chlorinated water negatively affects the condition of the skin, hair and even nails. Among the main signs of an increased chlorine content in the body are noted:

a feeling of pain in the eyes;

active lacrimation;

digestive disorders;

sore throat and cough;

headache;

increased body temperature.

If such symptoms appear, you should immediately consult a doctor. The consequences of contact with excessively chlorinated water depend on its duration and the amount of the substance dissolved in the water.

Drinking water with an excess of chlorine for drinking, a person is much more likely to suffer from respiratory diseases. Chlorinated drinking water has also been shown to increase the risk of cancer of the bladder, stomach, liver, rectum and colon. Chlorine is no less dangerous for the cardiovascular system. With an excess of this substance in drinking water, the development of atherosclerosis, hypertension and anemia is quite likely. Let's look at a few more significant risks of using chlorinated water in a pool.

Bleach and asthma

Swedish scientists conducted a study by taking snapshots of swimmers' lungs after training in a chlorinated pool. The results shocked them. Pictures of healthy athletes showed all the signs of asthma. A few hours after the training, the specialists repeated the examination - this time all the indicators were within the normal range.

Bleach and women's health

Water purified by chlorination negatively affects the health of the vaginal microflora. After visiting the pool, women may feel some discomfort and notice profuse vaginal discharge.

Bleach and urine

Swimming pool, bleach, urine - such a bundle is unacceptable, but in some cases there is a place to be. And this is dangerous. By interacting with chlorine, uric acid creates volatile products that are harmful to health. First of all, these are toxic cyanogen chloride and trichloramine. Such substances can cause skin irritation, negatively affect the cardiovascular, respiratory and central nervous systems. No less dangerous is the interaction of chlorine with the sweat of pool visitors.

Bleach and eyes

Chlorinated water irritates the eyes. When swimming without glasses, people often experience redness, dryness and puffiness of the eyes, which are observed for a certain time after visiting the pool. Chronic eye exposure to chlorine can lead to the development of conjunctivitis and keratitis, which are inflammation of the mucous membrane and cornea.

How to protect yourself from harm?

In order to remove chlorine from tap water, many people boil it. But this is not only wrong, but also harmful. When boiling, the amount of organochlorine and other harmful compounds only increases. However, the excess chlorine evaporates at the same time. You can store boiled water no more than 6-8 hours. To remove chlorine from water, special filters must be used. But it should be borne in mind that water purified from chlorine loses its protection against bacteria, so you should not stock it up for future use.

To reduce the harmful effects of chlorinated water in the pool, you should absolutely not swallow it, wear goggles on your eyes, and wash thoroughly in the shower with soap after swimming.