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Measureable Air Quality Improvements Vetted In Recent Study Prompts Patent Filing By Creative Water Solutions’ Use Of Sphagnum Moss

PLYMOUTH, MINN., —  A species of sphagnum moss, found in bogs adjacent to lakes across the globe that has been cleaning and clarifying water for eons, is now known also to significantly improve air quality in swimming pool facilities by reducing the amounts of disinfection by-products (DPBs) in the water and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the air.

 

Creative Water Solutions (www.cwsnaturally.com — CWS) announced today that it has filed for a patent under the heading —Use of Moss to Reduce Disinfectant By-products in Water Treated with Disinfectants.  The patent will cover all of its products that use the moss-based water treatment, including PoolNaturally®, PoolNaturally® Plus, SpaNaturally®, and SpaNaturally® Plus.

 

Creating an Odorless-Chemical Environment by Reducing DBPs and VOCs

 

After a 33-week scientific study of two large, commercial indoor swimming pools in the Twin Cities area, CWS measured the levels of DBPs and VOCs and the impacts of the resulting from the use of Sphagnum moss. The test found that its sphagnum moss product, PoolNaturally Plus, dramatically reduced DBP and VOC levels, reducing odor, decreasing chemical smells and their unpleasant side effects on swimmers, lifeguards, maintenance and other staff.

 

DBPs are created in pool systems through the chemical reaction of the chlorine disinfectant with organic matter in a pool, or spa. Many DBPs are toxic compounds, such as trihalomethanes (THM) and halocetic acids, and are the main source of the odor and health issues associate with pool facilities and use.

 

“Our tests found significant DBP reductions and air quality improvements, clearly establishing another significant  benefit of the PoolNaturally-Plus system.  THM’s, such as chloroform, are created in the water and then move into the air of a facility. The demonstrated reduction of THM’s in the pool water correlates nicely with the reduction of chloroform in the air and the subsequent increase in air quality” says Vance Fiegel, CWS’s Chief Scientific Officer and co-founder. “Our data shows that besides reducing the amount of chemicals needed to treat water (and lessening irritants to swimmers, maintenance time and corrosion of motors and liners) the moss is also providing measureable air quality benefits:

 

    THM levels plummeted between 73-80% once the moss was introduced into the pools.

 

    Chloroform showed a 55% reduction in the air of the pool facility.”

 

Data is consistent with personal reporting by staff at other indoor facilities

 

According to Dr. David Knighton, MD, CWS President, CEO and co-founder, the scientific data reflects the anecdotal reports the company has consistently been receiving from management and staff at other indoor swimming pools.

 

“We are very excited to discover yet another benefit of this miracle plant and innovative water conditioning agent,” Knighton notes. “Our customers at many college pools and those at indoor waterparks like Chaos, located in Eau Claire, Wi., can corroborate our most recent scientific discoveries about air quality enhancement with the personal evaluations and experiences of those who work daily in an enclosed swimming environment.”

 

Knighton cited a representative case study recently done at Chaos with Barry Thompson, a retired Navy Master Chief who helped design the facility and currently is its chief operator:

 

·         At most waterparks, chlorine disinfection byproducts permeate the air at a park’s indoor and outdoor areas: “You can usually smell the heavily chlorinated water in the parking lot. At Chaos you don’t get that smell inside or outside — or on your clothes and in your hair after you leave,” Thompson says.

 

·         Lifeguards are reporting a dramatic reduction in headaches from chloramines and disinfection byproducts due to the reduced usage and the increased efficacy of chlorine to deal with bacteria producing agents and organic material in the water.

 

·         The lifeguards and other staff are reporting less absenteeism thanks to a more natural, less chemical work environment.

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