Articles

Chlorine is responsible for the increase in the number of cases of asthma

(Sources: Press Association Ltd 2003 & http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/health/2943290.stm).

A study led by Belgian researchers shows that the chlorine used in the swimming pool could be one of the causes of the increase in the cases of asthmas in the child.

When chlorine reacts with substances secreted by the human body like the urine or perspiration, of the products drifts as the nitrogen trichloride are created in the pollutant gas shape. They are products extremely irritating for the lungs. It is possible that the exposure to these gases starts asthma in the children who are by nature more sensitive to the allergens.

The researchers estimated that their research raises the question of the use of disinfecting not chlorinated in the future. Doctor Alfred Barnard and his team of the catholic university of Leuwen close to Brussels undertook their research on 226 children in good health to the primary school and who, since their youth, were regularly with the covered swimming pool (every week or every 15 days).

Research also related to 16 other children between 5 and 14 years like 13 adults between 26 and 47 years. The purpose of this research published in the review "Occupational and Environmental Medicine" was to know if the chemicals in gas form emanating from the covered swimming pools could operate the cellular barrier of the lungs. The protein levels likely to damage the lungs were measured. The researchers also analyzed taking away of blood carried out before and afterwards of the meetings of swimming pool to see at which speed nitrogen trichloride acted.

They finally noted the rise of the cases of asthma (between 1996 and 1999) on a sample of almost 2000 children. The study showed that:

• a significant bond existed between the regular frequentation of covered swimming pools and a destruction of the cellular barrier (respiratory epithelium) which protects lungs
• child which swam regularly presented pulmonary damage similar to those found among smokers
• These effects were also present at people who did not swim but had simply sat at the edge of the swimming pool
• the feeling of oppression after the exercise and the importance of the cases of asthma were also all the two related ones to the time spent in covered swimming pools.

The authors concluded that chlorine in the covered swimming pools could explain the increase in the cases of asthma in the child since the important rate of these proteins causing of the damage on the lungs can increase the risks to develop asthma. The researchers recognize the need for complementary research but nevertheless put the following question: "We wonder whether it would not be more advisable in the future to go towards solutions containing disinfecting not chlorinated or at least to reinforce the quality controls of the water and the air of the swimming pools covered in order to reduce the risks of reaction vis-a-vis to these chemicals.

An additional reason to try to lower the chlorine rate in your swimming pool.

Chlorine is largely used to treat drinking water as the water of bathe because it kills the harmful germs effectively developing in water, in particular the bacteria. However, during these three last decades it was highlighted the fact that the treatment of water by chlorine can in the long term cause health risks (Riddle, 2002).

The pollution of our rivers is constant and daily what causes the presence of many contaminants. The fluorine, nitrates, sulphates and rock salt as well as pathogenic elements like Cryptospridium or Giardia make necessary the purification of water for human food purposes. It is the daily work of the services or companies in load to supply us out of drinking water. In the majority of the countries, the health services make sure that chlorine is added to water intends for consumption like in the swimming pools.

The presence of chlorine in water causes the chloramine formation. It is the cause first problems of taste and odor of the water treated with chlorine. However, it there has as evidence as chlorine does not destroy only the pathogenic organizations and proteins, but also attacks the human body, in particular the skin and the hair.

Moreover, scientific research showed bonds between the chlorinated chlorine and products and of the diseases of the c?ur, the arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), anaemia, arterial hypertension, the allergies, the disease of Hodgkin and the rectum and colonist, stomach, larynx?sophage, liver, bladder, breast cancers.

That you do not drink this chlorinated water does not protect you since absorption through the skin is sufficient to induce these risks (Anderson, 1986; Riddle, 2002; World Carryforward, 1991).

Am I concerned? To chlorinate water is a public practice established since strong a long time to reduce the rate of bacterium in water, however its use does not remove Cryptospridium. Moreover, when water is already contaminated by with organic compounds and other pollutants, chlorine governs with the fatty acids to form various carbonaceous compounds forming of the carcinogenic toxic substances (Anderson, 1986; Barnaby, 1996; Mayo, 2002). For example, trihalométhanes (THM) resulting from chlorine are associated with cancers of the bladder, the rectum and the pancreas (Anderson, 1986; Natural Resources Council Defense, 1993) like with congenital malformations.

In fact, the risk to start this kind of disease is 93% drinking superior among the population of the water chlorinated compared to that while not drinking (U.S. Council one Environmental Quality, 2002). And since many contaminant can be absorbed by the skin, it would not have to be believed that to drink water out of bottle protects you (Brown, 2002).

The hotter water is, plus these chemicals are volatile and more they become easy to absorb and even inhale (Anderson, 1986; World Carryforward, 1991). Therefore, the showers, the baths and even the washing machines show that the danger is everywhere present (Andelman, 1987, Fox, 2002).

By breathing the air around showers or baths, we can breathe 100 times more these substances that one would not do by drinking water! (Nader Report 2002) For children, the problem is increased because with equivalent body mass, they absorb more these substances that the adults (Barnaby, 1996).

Technically, it is requested from the municipal departments of water to follow the standards making it possible to make water safe. These standards are regularly updated and corrected. However, in the majority of the cases, it impose a maximum level of contaminants what wants to say that they primarily remain present at low levels because that would be expensive to withdraw them totalement(Barnaby, 1996). Unfortunately, there is no absolute safety as regards exposure to the carcinogenic products present in the drink water.