Swimming Pool Chemicals

Public and private swimming pools can become a breeding ground for bacteria and viruses which can cause infections and other illnesses to swimmers.

To make sure pools will not cause harmful effects to a swimmer, pool water should maintain zero or low levels of organisms such as algae, bacteria and even insect larvae. Mechanical filters and pumps are commonly used to filter pathogens out of the water; however, swimming pool chemicals are chemical disinfectants used to make pool water inhospitable to these organisms. Depending on the type of disinfectant used, a wide range of potentially dangerous viruses and bacteria in the pool’s water can be successfully deactivated and destroyed.

Why would you need swimming pool chemicals?

Chemical disinfectants for pools are essential in keeping the water free from naturally occurring microorganisms or dangerous pathogens. Treating pool water with the appropriate amount and the right type of disinfectant will ensure that swimmers can avoid getting ill or avoid catching diseases from dipping in the swimming pool. The process of disinfecting the water using various kinds of pool chemicals produces trihalomethanes which are disinfection byproducts. This particular chemical compound is used as refrigerants or solvents and is found in high concentration in pools – one of the main reasons why people are not advised to drink pool water.

What are the types of chemicals for swimming pools?

There are several types of chemical disinfectants used in treating pools. The first and most popular type is the chlorine-based pool chemical. Commonly referred to as “pool shock”, chlorine-based chemical disinfectants can destroy all organisms in the pool water and make the water uninhabitable to any type of organism by introducing high levels of chlorine. This is the most common chemical disinfectant used to treat pools.

Bromine-containing chemicals are also used frequently in hot tubs and spas for its ability to destroy a variety of pathogens in the water. Like chlorine-based disinfectants, bromine-releasing compounds are fast-acting, are effective algaecides and are effective oxidizers that deal with undesired water contaminants.

Sanitizing tablets are another type of chemical disinfectant being used to treat pool water. Cleaning the water using these tablets is generally easier because one only has to place the tablets inside the chlorine generator which then distributes the tablets to the water.

There are other methods to disinfect the pool water that do not require using swimming pool chemicals. Supplemental oxidation using Advanced Oxidation Processes is generally used to treat water in heavily-used commercial pools. During these particular processes, ozone, oxygen, hydrogen peroxide, and air in combination with IV radiation oxidize water contaminants. The processes produce oxidants after reacting with water.