Coughing. Chest tightness. Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Thesemay appear immediately if high concentrations of chlorine gas are inhaled, or they may be delayed if low concentrations of chlorine gas are inhaled.
What you're smelling is actually something called chloramine. Never heard of it? Chloramine is the byproduct that's produced when the chlorine in the pool water combines with swimmer's waste (body oils, skin flakes, etc.) and other contaminants.
Immediately after getting out of the pool take a hot shower and simply wash your hair and skin with a regular soap or shower gel. Additionally, put a leave in conditioner on your hair. In 99% of cases, this will be enough to get rid of the smell and feel comfortable leaving the pool.
If you're constantly smelling something nobody around you seems to be able to smell, you may have a condition called phantosmia. It's a term used to describe olfactory hallucinations -- that means the organs related to your sense of smell are sensing odors that aren't really there.
And the same chloramines that produce the sharp odor have other negative health effects, from red, itchy eyes to respiratory symptoms such as coughing, nasal irritation, and even asthma attacks. You're at risk of all that when you smell that pool smell.
Other signs and symptoms
There is a common myth that during a stroke, the victim will perceive the smell of burning toast. The medical term for this is phantosmia; an olfactory hallucination. In other words, a phantom smell, or a smell that isn't really there.
The Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (external site) requires that the level of chlorine in drinking water should not exceed 5 milligrams per litre (5 parts per million). For more information on the chlorine level in your drinking water supply, please contact your local water supplier.
Is chlorinated water safe to drink? Yes. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) limits the amount of chlorine in drinking water to levels that are safe for human consumption. The levels of chlorine used for drinking water disinfection are unlikely to cause long-term health effects.
If your water smells like chlorine, it might mean that you live in an area where the chlorine levels are higher than expected, to the point where it is notable. Most cities try to purify residential water so it has no odor, but some people are more sensitive to smells than others.
Trichloramine and its sister chemical dichloramine (with two chlorine atoms and one hydrogen forming the “legs”) are responsible for the odor you might smell when you enter an enclosed pool area in which there is poor airflow through the building.
A strong smell of bleach, or a strong odor similar to that of a highly chlorinated pool, could be an indicator that a gas leak is taking place.
Chlorine Sensitivity: What It Is and What to Do About It
For example, chlorine can contribute to allergies by irritating the respiratory tract (the organs involved in breathing) or sensitive skin. Per the ACAAI, common symptoms of chlorine sensitivity include: Coughing. Trouble breathing.
Exposure to low levels of chlorine can result in nose, throat, and eye irritation. At higher levels, breathing chlorine gas may result in changes in breathing rate and coughing, and damage to the lungs. Additional symptoms of exposure to chlorine can be severe. Workers may be harmed from exposure to chlorine.
The Dangers of Chlorine in Your Drinking Water
Stomachaches, vomiting, and diarrhea can all be effects of ingesting chlorine, and it can also cause dry, itchy skin. Severe chlorine poisoning can be far worse – a significant dose of liquid chlorine can be extremely toxic and even fatal to humans.
Conclusion about tap water in Australia
It is rather 'safe to drink'. If you think the water in your supply tastes bad, then buy an especially built water purifier. You can buy a Tapp 2 water filter if you really have to buy one, and never use bottled water if you have other options available.
1. Switzerland: With strict treatment standards and superior natural resources, Switzerland ranks number one for best EPI. In fact, Swiss tap water is as pure as its bottled water – but 500 times cheaper.
Although some variation in the quality of drinking water will occur because of the different sources of water used and different forms of treatment, drinking water that meets the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (the Guidelines) is considered safe to drink.
The smell of death can consist of more than 400 volatile organic compounds in a complex mixture. These compounds are produced by the actions of bacteria, which break down the tissues in the body into gases and salts. The exact composition of the gas mixture changes as decomposition progresses.
Sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body. Sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or difficulty understanding speech. Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes. Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance, or lack of coordination.
In the recovery phase of COVID-19, a patient normally regains their senses back. However, some people experience a change to their sense of smell about three to four months following infection. People report certain things—like food or body odor—smelling like garbage, rotten eggs, or chemicals.
Breathing high levels of chlorine causes fluid build-up in the lungs, a condition known as pulmonary edema. The development of pulmonary edema may be delayed for several hours after exposure to chlorine. Contact with compressed liquid chlorine may cause frostbite of the skin and eyes.
Chlorine gas is a toxic respiratory irritant that is considered a chemical threat agent because of the potential for release in industrial accidents or terrorist attacks. Chlorine inhalation damages the respiratory tract, including the airways and distal lung, and can result in acute lung injury.
Patients may report irritation of the skin, eyes, nose, or throat; cough; chest tightness; and difficulty breathing. Following any exposure to pool chemicals, the victim should be removed from the source, taken to an area with fresh air, and contaminated materials (e.g. clothing, contact lenses) should be removed.
Adverse mood states scores were elevated as were the frequencies of 28 of 35 common symptoms. Forced vital capacities were reduced. The duration of chlorine exposures was from a breath or two to several hours, and exposures were associated with impaired neurophysiologic and neuropsychologic functions.
If you're noticing a bleach smell in your home but didn't use a bleach solution, check the labels of the different cleaning products you have. Some products like toilet bowl cleaners, toilet tablets, mildew removers, and even laundry detergents can contain this chemical.