Swimming
too much - or even taking too many baths
or showers - could increase the risk of
developing bladder cancer, warn environmental
health experts.
Carcinogenic
chemicals called trihalomethanes (THMs),
created as a byproduct of chlorinating water,
can be absorbed through the skin, they say.
People who
regularly swim in chlorinated pools or take
lots of showers or baths could therefore
be putting themselves at risk.
Dr Gemma Castaño-Vinyals, of the
Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology
[CREAL] in Castilla La Mancha, Spain, said
the effects negated the 'purity' benefits
of drinking unchlorinated, TCM-free bottled
mineral water.