A Pilot Study to Determine the Water Volume Ingested by Recreational Swimmers. O. Evans, R. Cantu, T. D. Behymer, D. D. Kryak, and A. P. Dufour, US Environmental Protection Agency
The volume of water ingested by recreational swimmers is unknown. Previous estimates by a number of investigators range from 10 mL to 100 mL. These estimates, however, are unsupported by empirical data. Many outdoor swimming pools are disinfected using cyanuric acid stabilized chlorine. This compound, when ingested by a swimmer, is not metabolized by the human body and is excreted quantitatively in the urine. The volume of water ingested can be calculated by collecting a 24-hour urine sample, and subsequently determining the total concentration of the stabilizer in the sample and in the swimming pool water. A pilot study, involving about 100 swimmers, was conducted to evaluate: 1) the study design, 2) the analytical method for quantifying the chlorine stabilizer, and 3) the response of the study population. The results of the pilot study indicate that a full-scale study using the current design may, in part, address key questions relating water quality to swimmer illnesses. This abstract has been reviewed in accordance with the US Environmental Protection Agency’s peer and administrative review policies and approved for publication.
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