Occurrence and speciation of disinfection by-products in water and air of indoor swimming pools in the province of Quebec (Canada)

Swimming pools’ workers are exposed to potentially high levels of water and air disinfection by-products (DBP) which actual health impacts (e.g., irritation, carcinogenicity, genotoxicity) are still unclear. In the course of a project intended to assess occupational exposure to these contaminants, we conducted a study aimed to measure both typical and emerging DBPs in 41 indoor pools (14 in Quebec City and 27 in Montreal). Each pool was visited once, usually during the times of public swim. They were investigated for i): water levelsof 6 Haloacetic acids (HAAs), 4 Trihalomethanes (THMs), 4 Haloacetonitriles (HANs), Chloropicrine (CPK), 2 Haloketones (HKs), and ii) air levels of Chloramines (CAM) and THMs. Overall, nearly 900 samples and 3500 analyses were carried out for this study. Water emerging DPBs, including HANs, CPK and HKs, were found in substantial levels compared to their concentrations into drinking water network, especially HANs which were approximately 10-times higher (mean±SD: 21.4±13.9µg/L)...