Is it Safe? Pool Water

My son competed at an indoor swim meet and had difficulty breathing by the race's end. Could something with the pool have caused it?

A: Yes, there may have been a toxic problem with the pool. Large amounts of chlorine are added to swimming pools to kill the germs that are introduced by swimmers. However, if not properly regulated toxic forms of chlorine called chloramines can build up in the pool. Chloramines form a gas and so get into the air and can be highly irritating. An outdoor pool is well ventilated, but indoor pools can be a problem for swimmers—their lungs are working right where the chloramine is greatest. This can lead to difficulty breathing, poor performance, asthmatic reaction and in severe cases damage to the airways. Swimmers have been hospitalized as a result of mismanaged pools. Getting back to your son: 1) make sure his breathing is back to normal and, if not, take him to the doctor; 2) tell him to always shower before entering a pool; and 3) tell him to never even dip a toe into a pool that looks cloudy or in which there is a heavy odor of chlorine in the building.

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Dr. Gary Ginsberg is a public health toxicologist in Connecticut and a lecturer at the Yale School of Public Health. He has written a book geared toward the general public, “What’s Toxic, What's Not,” and also has a website, whatstoxic.com, to answer questions about chemicals found in consumer products and in our homes.

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The Yale School of Public Health invites you to submit questions for Dr. Ginsberg as part of this recurring monthly series. Contact us through Facebook or by e-mailing Michael Greenwood at michael.greenwood@yale.edu