--- title: VIDEO: Why You Shouldn't Pee in the Pool description: Science explains why you should hold it in this summer canonical: https://time.com/2891359/pool-pee/ author: TIME Video article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-06-17T21:12:15.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-01T08:57:33.611Z article:section: Science og:title: Here's What Happens When You Pee In The Pool og:description: Science explains why you should hold it in this summer og:url: https://time.com/2891359/pool-pee/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltab73d319bd8aaa30/69869802adae444a50543bc6/3003-006221.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 3600 og:image:height: 2025 og:image:alt: Child in Snorkel in Pool og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Here's What Happens When You Pee In The Pool twitter:description: Science explains why you should hold it in this summer twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltab73d319bd8aaa30/69869802adae444a50543bc6/3003-006221.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Here's Why You Shouldn't Pee in the Pool > Sponsored content. 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Future Proof is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-futureproof-2026q3/newsletters?i=a5631f87-9357-4e4c-a96a-533ca86c1f36&cr=time-nl-futureproof-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Why You Shouldn't Pee In The Pool [Watch (HLS stream): Why You Shouldn't Pee In The Pool](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/H0urBwaO.m3u8) (2:53)  _Published 2014-06-17. Science explains why you should just hold it in when you go swimming._ by [TIME Video](https://time.com/author/time-video/) ## TIME Video Jun 17, 2014 9:12 PM UTC by [TIME Video](https://time.com/author/time-video/) ## TIME Video Jun 17, 2014 9:12 PM UTC Now that summer is here, there’s a good chance you might spend some of your time cooling off in a swimming pool. But, given that the average swimmer leaves behind 30 to 80 ml of urine when they go swimming, there might be more than just refreshment waiting for you in the water. A recent study [published](http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es405402r) in the American Chemical Society journal _Environmental Science & Technology_ shows that mixing chlorine and uric acid — the latter of which is “almost entirely attributable to human urine” — can result in “volatile disinfection by-products.” Those by-products include trichloramine, which can affect the respiratory system and lead to irritation of the skin and eyes, as well as cyanogen chloride, which has been used in the past as a chemical-warfare agent. There isn’t enough chlorine or urine in a pool to produce quite that level of destruction, but what is there can still find its way into your body, so science just gave swimmers another reason to hold it until you can get out. ## Transcript The Summer weather is here and the swimming pools are open. That means a chance to cool off and have fun. It also means a chance to do something that most people wont admit to, but many have certainly done, peeing in the pool. And while it might be a time saver new research in the ACS Journal Environmental Science and Technology. Shows that the reaction between uric acid, a component of urine, and chlorine, isn't pretty. Researching ways to keep the environment safe? That's breakthrough science. [ MUSIC ] Professor Ernest Blatchley at Purdue University has been studying swimming pool chemistry for nearly a decade. He teamed up with Professor Jing Li at China Agricultural University, to study two main byproducts of the reaction between uric acid and chlorine. Cyanogen chloride, and trichloramine. These compounds form for a number of reasons, but Blatchley and Li's article highlights the main culprit, uric acid. And where does that come from? Urich acid is almost entirely attributable to human urine in a swimming pool. That's right, peeing in the pool. This was the first kind of direct link between urinating in swimming pools and generating these hazardous disinfection byproducts. So why should swimmers care about this chemical reaction? Cyanogen chloride is a, its a very toxic chemical. Its actually been used as a chemical warfare agent. Exposure to trichloramine does cause irritation of the respiratory system, and it causes irritation of skin tissues in your eyes as well. To be clear, there's not enough enough urine or chlorine in any pool to produce chemical warfare levels of these toxic substances. But people can get sick from breathing in this dangerous combination. There are reported instances where people have become ill. With symptoms that are consistent with poisoning by either cyanogen or trichloramine. Testing for these compounds requires advanced equipment. So there's not much data on pee in the pool related poisonings. But Blatchley and Li do know that the action is swift. Uric acid is very active compound. It will react with the chlorine immediately after they mixed up. And it's common. The average swimmer leaves behind 30 to 80 milliliters of urine in the pool. That's about two ounces per swimmer. Just to be clear, not every swimmer urinates in the pool, but on average that's about how much they leave behind. Chlorine also isn't likely to be taken out of pools anytime soon. Chlorine is really the most popular [ INAUDIBLE ] around the world. So is it safe to swim this summer? THis doesn't keep me from getting in the pool. Although I'm a little more cautious about it than I used to be. And a little more courteous. I have to confess, I'm a swimmer. I have peed in the pool. I don't anymore. Blatchley and Li hope their research will get people to think twice before they go in the water. 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