Using Alternatives to Chlorine in the Swimming Pool
Posted by admin , on Oct, 2014
Swimming in a pool is a great way to stay cool during hot summers. There’s a drawback to this fun-filled activity though since disease-causing bacteria and other microorganisms can infest pool water. To make matters worse, accidental drinking of pool water happens all the time. The popular solution to this problem is disinfecting the pool with chlorine. Unfortunately, this solution brings its own set of problems. Chlorine can react with certain organic materials and can cause allergies to some people. Thankfully, safer and even more effective ways to clean pool water are available. Even though they all have dangerous-sounding names, they are safe.
Bromine
It may sound like something you use on a car, yet bromine is safe for humans, pets and interstellar visitors alike. Because of its tolerance to high acidity and high temperature, spas often use bromine to clean the water of their bathtubs. This helpful and safe chemical disinfects pool water by producing a by-product called bromaniens, which effectively kills bacteria in the water.
Polymeric Biguanides
Polymeric Biguanides is used in deodorant sprays and contact lens cleaning liquids. It’s even applied directly to open wounds. Polymeric Biguanides destroy bacteria by attaching polymers into their membranes and making it less permeable, thus depriving its cell of water. The bacteria will die by dehydration, keeping the pool clean.
Persulphates
The name could pass as a Greek philosopher or mathematician, but the genius of persulphates is ridding pool water of dangerous bacteria and bather waste. It is used mainly as ‘Non-Chlorine Shock’ which means that it shocks the water and kills bacteria and zaps bather wastes into nothingness, making swimming in the pool safer.
Silver and Copper
For many centuries, these two chemicals are used to clean and purify water. Copper is efficient in killing algae while silver is good at killing bacteria. Using them together is a simple yet effective way to keep the swimming pool safe for swimmers. This method needs a system to ionize both these metals for them to clean the pool. But it’s worth it.
Many people visit swimming pools to relax, especially during summer when it is very hot. It is the duty of pool owners to make sure that their pool is free of pathogens. Bacteria and other dangerous organisms may be small, but they bring huge problems. No one wants to turn a good time into a medical nightmare caused by water-borne diseases.
The owner of the pool simply has to weigh his options and find the most suitable water treatment. Using chlorine is the most affordable way to treat water, but there are several downsides to it. Bromine, Polymeric Biguanides, Persulphates and the combined power of silver and copper all work well as chlorine alternatives.
