The Occurrence of Unfavorable Phenomena in Swimming Pool Water

The study assessed unfavorable phenomena occurring in swimming pool water, including the occurrence of organic micropollutants in swimming pools and the transformation of these compounds during the swimming pool water treatment processes. The presence of three selected compounds was examined from the personal care products group (PCP) in pool water samples, collected in 2018 and 2019, from fifteen pools characterized using three different solutions of swimming pool water treatment systems. In addition, experimental studies on the effects of UV radiation and ozone on selected organic micropollutants, previously identified in swimming pools and the relationship between swimming pool water turbidity and the concentration of the selected PCP micropollutants, were carried out

Occurrence of P. aeruginosa in Water Intended for Human Consumption and in Swimming Pool Water

Considering the fact that water is a basic need of every living being, it is important to ensure its safety. In this work, the data on the presence of the opportunistic pathogen P. aeruginosa in drinking water (n = 4171) as well as in pool water (n = 5059) in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County in Croatia in the five-year period (2016–2020) were analysed. In addition, the national criteria were compared with those of neighboring countries and worldwide. The proportion of P. aeruginosa-positive samples was similar for drinking water (3.9%) and pool water (4.6%). The prevalence of this bacterium was most pronounced in the warmer season. P. aeruginosa-positive drinking water samples were mostly collected during building commissioning, while pool samples were from entertainment and spa/hydromassage pools. Outdoor pools showed a higher percentage of positive samples than indoor pools, as well as the pools filled with freshwater rather than seawater. The highest P. aeruginosa load was found in rehabilitation pools. Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro are countries that have included P. aeruginosa in their national regulations as an indicator of the safety of water for human consumption as well as for bottled water, while Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina have limited this requirement to bottled water only. In the case of swimming pool water, this parameter is mandatory in all countries considered in this study.

Chromatographic determination of organohalogen compounds in swimming pool water

The purpose of the work was to search for a sorbent with good selective properties for water purification. For this purpose, we determined the organohalogen compounds in the water of a swimming pool. A method of gas-liquid chromatography was used, using packed and capillary chromatographic columns. To concentrate the impurities of the organohalogen compounds, an automatic vapour-phase dispenser was used. This established that the swimming pool water, taken in the evening, had a complex composition of components, including 33 organohalogens, which have different toxicities for the human body. These are classed as belonging to the first and second groups of hazards. Identification of the individual component composition was carried out by determining the relative retention times of the test compounds and standard samples of the organohalogen compounds dissolved in methanol. Out of the entire range of the organohalogen compounds contained in the swimming pool water it was determined that the highest concentration of chloroform was 0.024 mg/dm3 and the highest concentration of carbon tetrachloride was 0.018 mg/dm3. The total content of organohalogen substances in the swimming pool water was 0.370 mg/dm3, which increases the risk of human diseases while the swimming pool is in operation. It is proposed to clean the water in the swimming pools from toxic impurities by an adsorption method using rocks containing zeolite from the Tatar-Shatrashan deposit, which are characterized by a sufficiently high sorption capacity in relation to the organohalogen compounds.

Impact of Low-Pressure UV Lamp on Swimming Pool Water Quality and Operating Costs

UV lamps are being increasingly used in the treatment of swimming pool water, mainly due to their abilities to disinfect and effectively remove chloramines (combined chlorine). However, the application of UV lamps in a closed loop system, such as that in which swimming pool water is treated, creates conditions under which chlorinated water is then also irradiated with UV. Thus, the advanced oxidation process occurs, which affects the transformation of organic matter and its increased reactivity, and hence the higher usage of chlorine disinfectant. In addition, UV lamps require electrical power and the periodic replacement of filaments. In order to assess whether the application of a low-pressure UV lamp is justified, water quality tests and an analysis of the operating costs (including the energy consumption) of the water treatment system were carried out for two operation variants—those of the low-pressure UV lamp being turned on and off. The experiments were carried out on the real object of the AGH University of Science and Technology sports swimming pool for one year. The consumption of electricity and water treatment reagents was also measured. The following values of the selected parameters of the swimming pool water quality were observed (for without and with UV lamp, respectively): 0.68 and 0.52 mg/L combined chlorine; 3.12 and 3.02 mg/L dissolved organic carbon; 15.70 and 15.26 µg/L trihalomethanes; 7 and 6 cfu/mL mesophilic bacteria; and 6 and 20 cfu/mL psychrophilic bacteria. Generally, the statistically important differences in water quality parameters were not observed, thus the application of the low-pressure UV lamp in the swimming pool water treatment technology did not bring the expected improvement in water quality. However, the higher consumption of electric energy (by 29%) and chlorine disinfectant (by 15%), and the need to periodically replace the lamp filaments significantly increased the operating costs of the water treatment system (by 21%) and its ecological impact, thus this technology cannot be considered as profitable or ecological.

Effect of a Commercial Disinfectant CLORICAN® on Acanthamoeba spp. and Naegleria fowleri Viability

Swimming pool water treatment by chemicals is an essential step to avoid microbial proliferation and infections namely caused by free living amoeba such as, for example, primary amebic meningoencephalitis and Acanthamoeba keratitis. In the present study, a commercial reactive, CLORICAN, based on chlorine dioxide, was evaluated against Acanthamoeba spp. and Naegleria fowleri. We observed that CLORICAN could eliminate in a short period of incubation time both amoebae. Furthermore, Naegleria fowleri’s trophozoites were more sensitive than those of Acanthamoeba spp. By means of inverted microscopy, the chlorine dioxide was found to greatly affect morphology shape by increasing the cell size shrinkage.

Inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 in chlorinated swimming pool water

SARS-CoV-2 transmission remains a global problem which exerts a significant direct cost to public health. Additionally, other aspects of physical and mental health can be affected by limited access to social and exercise venues as a result of lockdowns in the community or personal reluctance due to safety concerns. Swimming pools have reopened in the UK as of April 12th, but the effect of swimming pool water on inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 has not yet been directly demonstrated. Here we demonstrate that water which adheres to UK swimming pool guidelines is sufficient to reduce SARS-CoV-2 infectious titre by at least 3 orders of magnitude.