Article by Jill Palmer – Medical Correspondant – Daily Mirror
Chlorine in swimming pools could be causing a dramatic rise in childhood asthma, claims new research.
Scientists found that children who swim often have lung damage similiar to smokers.
The problem is caused by by-products of chlorine, trichloramine or nitrogen trichloride.
They are powerful irritants which are easily inhaled and produced when chlorine reacts with organic matter such as urine or sweat.
Nearly two million children suffer from asthma, one in seven and the numbers are rising annually.
The research team studied 226 healthy youngsters who have swum weekly or fortnightly since early childhood.
Lung proteins linked with cell damage were measured in their blood. Samples from 16 children and 13 adults before and after a session in an indoor pool were analysed to see how quickly trichloramine took effect.
Researchers also assessed the prevalence of asthma using data from 2,000 youngsters.
The results showed that swimming in a pool regularly was consistently and significantly associated with the destruction of the cellular barriers protecting the deep lung.
Even sitting by the pool without swimming led to significantly higher marker proteins.
Dr Alfred Barnard, who led the research at the Catholic University of Louvain in Brussels, said “Chlorinated pools might explain the rise in the diagnosis of childhood asthma.”
“Swimmers are mainly exposed to chlorine compounds when inhaling air just above the waters surface”
“Chlorine disinfectants can represent a health hazard for swimming, especially for young children who attend most frequently”
Professor Martyn Partidge of the National Asthma Campaign said yesterday “This is an interesting study”
Exposure of any child to a chemical which may damage airways is a concern and obviously needs further investigation.”
“But its unlikely that swimming – at least by itself – could be the cause for the increase in Asthma”