Swimming teachers and other people who spend a lot of time near
chlorinated pools face an increased risk of respiratory hazards,
Dutch researchers report.
Chlorine reacts with urine and sweat to create byproducts that
can irritate the respiratory tract, said Dr. Jose Jacobs of the
University of Utrecht in the Netherlands and colleagues in a report
in the European Respiratory Journal.
The research team surveyed 624 swimming pool employees and took
air samples at six swimming pools. They measured trichloramine
levels at all 38 pools included in the study to estimate long-term
exposure among employees. Trichloramines are the most volatile type
of chloramine, and are known to irritate the eyes and upper
respiratory tract.
Swimming instructors were 2.4 times more likely to suffer
frequent attacks of sinusitis or sore throat when compared to pool
workers with the least exposure to trichloramines, such as catering
employees or receptionists, and faced a 3.4-fold greater risk of
chronic cold, the researchers found.
Employees with high levels of exposure were at greater risk of a
number of other respiratory symptoms compared to the general Dutch
population, ranging from a 40 percent increased risk for tightness
of the chest to a more than sevenfold greater likelihood of
suffering breathlessness while walking with a person of the same
age.
People who reported excessive humidity or inadequate ventilation
at work were also more likely to report breathing problems.
(Xinhua News Agency April 13, 2007)
