Peeing in the ocean is totally fine, but don't pee in protected areas like reefs or smaller bodies of water, especially swimming pools.
Generally, peeing in the ocean is totally fine, the ACS says – and it may even be beneficial to marine life, as the nitrogen in urea combines with water to produce ammonium, which feeds ocean plants.
From a scientific standpoint, Esbaugh says that it's “definitely not true” that sharks are attracted to urine, and he assumes the rumor got started because many animals use scent to track their prey. But he says this doesn't hold up because humans aren't the most common meal for sharks. Fish are.
Depending on the cleanliness of the water, swimming in nature (such as in the sea or a lake) may cause a urinary tract infection. Research shows that swimming in the sea may cause UTIs, gastrointestinal tract infections and ear problems due to farm run-off and sewage in the seas off the coast.
Water Pressure
As you submerge in water, hydrostatic pressure drives up your blood pressure a bit, enough to trigger your kidneys to respond by stepping up their filtration game and increase urine output.
While they can smell human urine, they aren't particularly interested in it. Any tasty, smelly odorant is likely to get a shark excited but their sense of smell is no better than that of a tuna, and tiny amounts will go unnoticed.
Ew! Not only is it disgusting, but urine in pool water also fosters the formation of harmful chemicals. As soon as body oils meet sweat, chlorine, and urine, DBP's (disinfection byproducts) start to arise. Organic matter from our bodies mixing with chlorine allows these DBP's to form and harm our health.
The NOAA estimates the oceans at 321,003,271 cubic miles or 1.338e21 L (1.3 sextillion). Dividing those out and you get 0.0002%, or 1 in 500,000 parts Human pee.
Researchers estimate bacteria in the waterways cause more than 90 million cases of stomach, respiratory, ear, eye, and skin-related illnesses every year in the U.S., while fewer than 1,500 cases of necrotizing fasciitis (aka flesh-eating bacteria) happen here annually, from any cause.
Since sharks see contrast colors, anything that is very bright against lighter or darker skin can look like a bait fish to a shark. For this reason, he suggests swimmers avoid wearing yellow, white, or even bathing suits with contrasting colors, like black and white.
Any bodily fluid released into the water is likely detectable by sharks. A shark's sense of smell is powerful – it allows them to find prey from hundreds of yards away. Menstrual blood in the water could be detected by a shark, just like any urine or other bodily fluids.
hypothesized that the odor of urine attracted candirus, as primary prey of the fish emit urea from their gills,” notes a 2015 report in the Journal of Urology. “However recent research showed that the fish hunt by sight and are not attracted to human urine.”
Elevated levels of ABRs on the skin lasted for six hours post-swim, according to the study To reduce the risk of skin infections, it's best to shower shortly after you've been in the ocean. Much like with showering post-workout, a shower after the ocean washes away bacterium.
Pool water is cleaner than ocean water. The ocean may look pristine from a distance, but when you examine the water up close, its cleanliness is questionable. From natural debris to human-caused pollution, there are many contaminants in ocean water that could potentially make swimmers sick.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , ocean water can be contaminated with animal waste, sewage spills, stormwater runoff, fecal matter, and germs from the rectal areas of swimmers.
“Human kidneys can only make urine that is less salty than salt water,” explains the US Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Specifically, the urine reaches a maximum level of about 2% salt, while seawater is around 3.5%.
There is an assumption that urinating in the sea is not such a good idea because it contaminates the marine ecosystem. This is actually not true. Human urine does not harm the ocean or sea life in any way, in fact, some scientists say it is beneficial to marine plant life.
And urine is typically clean and sterile. True, nitrogen compounds in urine can react with chlorine in pools and cause eye or respiratory tract irritation in some people. If someone experiences red eyes or wheezing, they might find a saltwater pool a better choice.
Because infection-causing bacteria could be present in some urine, there's a slight chance you could contract something, especially if you have a cut or other open wound on your foot. Infections such as MRSA can be transmitted via a shower floor.
Sharks urinate continuously
In fact, shark's don't pee as we know it at all. Their urine is actually absorbed by their flesh, where the urea is used to keep their scale-like dermal denticles nice and moist. The rest is simply expelled back into the water through their 'skin'.
Human urine contains something called nitrates, which can cause increased algae in the water, making it toxic to the fish and other wildlife. "Urine, although sterile, is considered a biohazard and should be discarded appropriately.
Made of very strong and thick bone, dolphin snouts are biological battering rams. Dolphins will position themselves several yards under a shark and burst upwards jabbing their snout into the soft underbelly of the shark causing serious internal injuries.
Sea water contains many nutrients that help your hair to stay healthy. For example, magnesium and potassium are both helpful for keeping the pH of your scalp in check - which is important because having too much alkalinity can cause damage to the structure of proteins found on your hair!
Sharks are most active during the night or at dawn or dusk hours. While humans have decreased visibility at night at the beach, a shark will not. It simply isn't worth the danger to try swimming in the ocean during the night! These are the largest dangers that the waters present during the night.