Would you rather swim in toxic or beneficial compounds?

The slight amber color of most ponds and natural water systems is tannin.  The very same compound that is in tea and gives it much of its antioxidant and beneficial properties. Our skin absorbs chemicals that are present in water and it has been reported that after only one swim in a pool treated with chlorine, mutagenic events can be detected in our bloodstream.  Do you want your familly to swim in a toxic brew of mutagens and birth defect causing compounds?  Or would you like to swim in a couple of mugs of tea.

Copper is another toxin that is often used to kill algae in swimming pools or ponds. Since it gives a nice blue color which tints the water, it gives an impression of purity. But it is only appearances. Maybe we could start thinking that green is clean. If your pond or pool can support algae and other types of life, the water is far less likely to mutagenize you and be toxic.

It is just wrong, in my opinion, for a pool company to advertise their copper-based algae-killing product as “non chemical.” Copper systems are anything but non chemical! If you didn’t add the copper it wouldn’t kill the algae in your pool or pond.

Copper disolved in water is a toxic metal and even more importantly it is a phototoxin. Phototoxins interact with light energy and transmit that energy to living cells thus killing them. And just because the copper is added to your pool or pond through the magic of electricity does not mean the system is non chemical! If you add enough copper that it kills algae, it has a toxic effect on life, and almost certainly you as well. Even if the company selling it claims it is “dilute.”

Plutonium is very toxic, so I guess we could find a low concentration of plutonium that would kill algae and then claim that its ok to use on us because it’s so dilute ….that it has no effect ….– wait… it kills the algae!

Dillute copper solutions and sunlight damages DNA extensively and causes cell death. (This is actually the area of research my Ph.D. was in)  Which is probably the reason copper kills algae. A copper solution in the dark has little effect on DNA but is somewhat toxic. Solid metal copper is pretty safe for use in our pipes.

If you are swimming in your pool, it is generally on a nice sunny day, not cloudy and overcast. Do you really want to be putting a light activated, DNA-damaging toxin in your swimming pool?

PuraVida Aquatic designs pool systems that outcompete algae — not kill it with something toxic. Please remember that if something in your pool is killing the algae it’s probably toxic to you, your family, and your pets too.