Does pool chlorine kill pee?

Pool chemicals kill most germs within minutes, but some live for days. Chemicals also break down pee, poop, sweat, dirt, and other gunk from swimmers’ bodies. It’s actually chemicals that form when chlorine mixes with the gunk.

Does chlorine break down pee?

Chlorine reacts with urine to form a host of potentially toxic compounds called disinfection byproducts. These can include anything from the chloramines that give well-used pools the aforementioned odor, to cyanogen chloride, which is classified as a chemical warfare agent.

Do pools filter out pee?

First things first, let’s get this out of the way – the idea that chlorine gets rid of pee in a pool is, in fact, false. It affects water and air quality, so even though the myth has been floating around since people started peeing in pools, chlorine does not negate the effects.

What happens when you pee in a public pool?

When this urine comes into contact with chlorine, it creates chloramines, which is what’s giving off the odor. When your eyes burn while swimming, that’s another sign of trouble. Cyanogen chloride is a chemical created when someone pees in a pool. It’s a toxic chemical that causes your eyes to burn.

What kills pee in a pool?

How to address urine in swimming pools. Urine is sterile, so there should be nothing for chlorine to “kill”. Instead, urine must be oxidized. One chemical in urine is particularly difficult to oxidize: urea, or uric acid.

How do I get rid of urine in my pool?

You will need to increase the amount of chlorine in the pool to compensate for the higher urea concentration. The only way to remove urine, nitrates and total dissolved solids from your pool water is to empty the pool and refill with fresh water. There is no effective chemical treatment to remove these compounds.

How do you detect urine in a pool?

A Sweet Way to Test for Pee in the Pool

1. There’s an artificial sweetener called acesulfame potassium (ACE) that you can find in processed foods and drinks.
2. Researchers at the University of Alberta have estimated the amount of urine in 31 public pools by measuring the amount of ACE in them.

How much pee is in a public pool?

The American Chemical Society (ACS) estimates that there are somewhere between 30 milliliters and 80 ml (1 to 3 ounces) of pee per person in a pool.

Why you should not pee in the pool?

Not only is it disgusting, but urine in pool water also fosters the formation of harmful chemicals. As soon as body oils meet sweat, chlorine, and urine, DBP’s (disinfection byproducts) start to arise. When that nitrogen combines with chlorine, AKA when you pee in pool, a compound called trichloramine is formed.

What does chlorine do in a pool?

The most common chemical used in the treatment of swimming pool water is chlorine. It not only eliminates bacteria and algae by disinfecting (killing) action, it also oxidizes (chemically destroys) other materials such as dirt and chloramines.