by Olivia Bredbenner

Created on: July 23, 2009

It is hard to believe that chlorine, once found to be an historic achievement and harmless, has now turned out to actually be poisonous. Chlorine has been used in water treatment plants for over 25 years. Used to eliminate disease causing bacteria, viruses, and other microbes. Today there are over 200 million people in the U.S. that use chlorinated tap water.

Government monitoring programs have found that the disinfection properties of chlorine called organochlorines are toxic chemicals. Epidemiological research has linked chlorinated drinking water to cancer and possible miscarriages.

In 2002 stronger regulations were enacted to control disinfection by-products. There is a challenge to manage, monitor and to regulate them in order to reduce exposure. The toxic effects from disinfection by-products may take decades or generations to see . The health effects can be subtle such as signs of infection inner and outer ear infections , some being more serious , as those related to immune suppression, reduced fertility or even neurological damage.

According to the EPA most exposure to the by-products of disinfection is obtained by drinking the water that we use to make tea, coffee, juice concentrates and soup. In addition, people are exposed through skin absorption , bathing, showering , washing dishes, and swimming in chlorinated pools.

Researchers have even found high levels of chloroform in swimmers blood after leaving a pool.

According to Joseph G. Hattersley- Author of -The Negative Effects of Chlorine - Residents that lived in areas of a rural town in Pennsylvania had no heart attacks while drinking spring water. They moved to another area with chlorinated water. There were no changes in their diet. However, after drinking chlorinated water { time period not documented } it was noted that they developed atherosclerosis and heart attacks. This finding was profound enough to design detailed comparisons. However, study was never completed.

They have found that drinking and swimming in chlorinated water has increased the development of melanoma. The excess in free radicals in water has contributed to a higher total risk of cancer.

As the chlorine used in swimming pools reacts with other organic matter such as sweat, urine, blood and feces or mucous and skin cells, they then form chloroform. They advise that if a pool smells to high in chlorine. Do not use it.

Exposure to indoor chlorinated swimming pools can be detrimental to the airways

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