Chlorine is a greenish-yellow gas that is very reactive and is used to disinfect water, make bleach, and produce many chemicals. In small, controlled amounts, it helps kill harmful germs in pools and drinking water.
“Chlorine” comes from Greek “khlōros,” meaning “pale green,” referring to the gas’s color. It was named in the early 1800s when scientists were classifying new elements.
The sharp “pool smell” people blame on chlorine is mostly from chloramines—compounds formed when chlorine reacts with sweat and urine. In other words, the stronger the smell, the dirtier the water was. Chlorine is both a hero (killing deadly germs) and a harsh guest in our water systems.
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