Why Chlorine is bad for you

Skin Penetration

Research by H.S. Brown, Ph.D. D.R. Bishop, MPH, and C.A. Rowan, MSPH, has shown that: "Ingestion is not the principle route exposing the purity of drinking water." Skin penetration rates for solvents are extremely high, and the stratum conium is a less effective barrier to penetration than previously assumed. Based on published skin absorption rates, these 3 researchers used Fick's Law to find out permeability constants for selected compounds. They then calculated dose per kilogram for 9 diverse exposure situations and compared this to the oral dose per kilogram. They discovered that skin absorption contributed from 29 to 91 percent of the total dose, averaging 64 percent. The researchers arrived at the conclusion that skin absorption of Chlorine in municipal water has been underestimated and that ingestion may not represent the sole or even primary route of exposure. Chlorine can have an adverse effect also on the skin itself. Chlorine chemically bonds with proteins in the hair, skin and scalp. Hair can become rough, brittle and lose colour. Skin can dry out with itchy, flaky scalp formation. Chlorine can worsen sensitive areas in the eyes, nose, throat and lungs.

Inhalation

Chloroform and trichloroethylene are two highly unstable toxic chemicals that have been found in many municipal drinking-water supplies. People can die from cancers caused by ingesting these contaminants in water. However, the main threat caused by these water pollutants is more likely to be as air pollutants in the home, according to a study by Dr. Julian Andelman. He found that in the shower when temperature and chemical concentrations increase and diameter of showerhead hole decreases, volatilisation increases. His data indicate that hot showers of109F can release about 50% of the dissolved chloroform and 80% of the dissolved trichloroethylene into the air. Both the heat and the large surface-to-volume ratio of small droplets increase vaporization. Chlorine, trichloroethylene, chloroform, benzene and others are readily absorbed through the lungs into the bloodstream.

Contaminants

The contaminants mentioned above are not prevalent only in your tap water. Nevertheless, if chlorine is present in the water it is most certain so are the other contaminants. Chlorine when combine with organic substances forms Trihalomethanes including Chloroform. The most common unstable compounds in drinking water supplies as found by the EPA are as listed: trichloroethylene, carbon tetrachloride, benzene, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, tetrachloroethylene, 1,2-dichloroethane, ethylene chloride,1,1-dichloroethylene, bis-1,2-dichloroethylene, vinyl chloride, trans-1,2-dichloroethylene, chlorobenzene, dichlorobenzene, & trichlorobenzene.