Chlorine Tidbits

Some sites regarding chlorine exposure in swimmers are interesting, since I just got back into swimming. The information is somewhat sketchy on the web (and most sites are trying to sell you something---as in http://www.karinya.com/chlorine.htm), but there are some seemingly-authoritative pages. This review points out that there isn't a very good understanding of the effects of chlorine and related compounds in the air above a pool. (It does also point to the well-known beneficial effect of swimming on asthmatic children, which is reassuring.) Excessive chlorination may lower the pH of the water, leading to problems with dental enamel. A good summary of papers is here.

In any case, I think swimming is pretty fun, and it keeps me in great shape. I'm not worried overly about the chlorination, since it seems like the health benefits far outweigh the risks, but I'm not saying that I wouldn't be happy if my pool used something else.