Pool Chemicals and Personal Safety

Figure 1. Pool chemicals, distributed through box stores, are classified as pesticides.Pool chemicals are among the most common household substances and are used to protect health in recreational waters. Pool chemicals containing chlorine safeguard against recreational-water illnesses caused by disease-causing pathogens, such as the diarrhea-causing Cryptosporidium. They also enhance disinfection by regulating water pH. But even though these materials are regularly handled by homeowners, most don’t ever realize that they are handling pesticides. This 3-page fact sheet was written by Fred Fishel, and published by the UF Department of Agronomy, September 2014.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pi253