
Sign up to save your podcasts
Or


On a hot summer day, there’s nothing better than a dip in a cold pool. But you know who can ruin that for you? A scientist who studies pool chemistry. What chemical reactions are happening in that swimming pool when the water comes into contact with our bodily fluids and skin products?
Environmental engineer Ernest Blatchley sits down with Flora Lichtman to discuss his findings after two decades of research, including how urine in a pool makes that chlorine smell, and his work to make the air of the Paris Olympics’ indoor pools less toxic.
Guest:
Dr. Ernest Blatchley is a professor of environmental engineering at Purdue University, based in West Lafayette, Indiana.
Other episodes you may enjoy:
Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at sciencefriday.com.
Subscribe to this podcast. Follow our show on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Bluesky @scifri and sign up for our newsletters. Got a science question that’s keeping you up at night? Call us: 877-472-4374
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
By Science Friday and WNYC Studios4.4
60206,020 ratings
On a hot summer day, there’s nothing better than a dip in a cold pool. But you know who can ruin that for you? A scientist who studies pool chemistry. What chemical reactions are happening in that swimming pool when the water comes into contact with our bodily fluids and skin products?
Environmental engineer Ernest Blatchley sits down with Flora Lichtman to discuss his findings after two decades of research, including how urine in a pool makes that chlorine smell, and his work to make the air of the Paris Olympics’ indoor pools less toxic.
Guest:
Dr. Ernest Blatchley is a professor of environmental engineering at Purdue University, based in West Lafayette, Indiana.
Other episodes you may enjoy:
Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at sciencefriday.com.
Subscribe to this podcast. Follow our show on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Bluesky @scifri and sign up for our newsletters. Got a science question that’s keeping you up at night? Call us: 877-472-4374
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

90,994 Listeners

21,790 Listeners

43,898 Listeners

32,100 Listeners

38,062 Listeners

30,666 Listeners

43,528 Listeners

38,856 Listeners

1,571 Listeners

473 Listeners

943 Listeners

12,704 Listeners

14,444 Listeners

12,237 Listeners

821 Listeners

1,541 Listeners

3,505 Listeners

2,801 Listeners

1,405 Listeners

9,532 Listeners

1,196 Listeners

5,575 Listeners

5,767 Listeners

421 Listeners

16,399 Listeners

6,564 Listeners

667 Listeners

2,821 Listeners

2,306 Listeners

644 Listeners

1,973 Listeners

81 Listeners

239 Listeners

20 Listeners