Borates - Safety Concerns

[chiefwej]

I will start by saying that I have been using 50ppm borates in my pool for years, with little or no consideration for any safety issues. My pool is almost always used by adults or school age children. No dogs and no very young children. But recently, a friend was teaching my grandkids and a few other young children swimming and water survival. It dawned on me how much water little kids and dogs end up ingesting when playing in a pool. I remember seeing our Labrador having to get out of the pool and him urinating for several minutes each time to get rid of all the pool water. Likewise, very young kids will ingest a lot of pool water. Many trips to the bathroom and wetting the bed after a day in the pool Is very common in small kids.

I believe that at 50ppm borates my pool water is no longer technically potable water, so at what point should someone have concern? I am bringing this up because I see more and more pool owners on this forum adding borates, and little to no discussion of any potential safety issues. Many households may have very young children and pets that may use the pool a lot, and ingest significant amounts of water. At 50ppm, how much water over what period of time would be of concern? Looking for someone with more expertise than I on this one.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Bill,

This is the definitive thread on borate toxicology - Are Borates Safe to Use?

>>> Everything Below Here is my PERSONAL Opinion <<<<

My personal opinion is that the safety concerns around borates are WAY OVERBLOWN. While I don't disagree with the information that @chem geek presented in that thread, and I am glad he took the time to write it up, there are far too many "assuming this ..." statements. I have had 60ppm borates in my water since year 2 of it's life and have had kids ages 0 to 16 in my pool all that time. None of them have ever had any problems. But, in that time, my children have also been taught NEVER to ingest pool water. If you are seeing kids swallowing or gulping pool water, then that is an action that should be discouraged and not because of borates. Ingesting too much water in short period of time, pool water, bottled water, or otherwise, can lead to hyponatremia (low sodium), hypokalemia (low potassium) and water-intoxication; one can also become acidotic (low blood pH). In a water body like a pool, those conditions can be deadly (cramps, dizziness, disorientation, or loss of consciousness). Children should be taught to keep their mouths closed while swimming. It's not such a big deal to do it in your own pool, but in a public pool, swallowing water is gross and can lead to the development of enteric infections (you're swallowing someone else's poop and urine).

We recently acquired a golden doodle puppy. She is 9 months old. We haven't done much swimming with her yet but do intend to let her try out the pool. I have no intention of lowering borates for her. My plan is to keep a bowl of freshwater by the pool and, if I see her drinking from the pool, I will redirect her. Dogs, like kids, should also be taught good pool behavior.

All mammals with functional kidneys have the biological processes to regulate boron levels. As long as a dog or a kid does not use the pool as their only source of drinking water, my opinion is that they will be fine.

I suggest you ask whoever is acting as the kid's swim instructor to please teach the kids NOT to drink from the pool. It is an unsanitary habit at best.

 

[AK-]

Boric acid is an ingredient in a number of healthcare products, including eye wash and nasal sprays. In some countries solutions with up to 3% of boric acid are allowed for eye wash.

Sure, when dissolving boric acid on your water you may come in contact if hazardous concentrations.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Here is a good read -

https://naldc-legacy.nal.usda.gov/naldc/download.xhtml?id=45215&content=PDF

In the above paper, > 4 grams of boron per day was considered toxic. At 50ppm (50 mg/L), a person would have to drink over 21 gallons of pool water per day to achieve a toxic level by ingestion. I doubt anyone would make it through the first gallon of pool water before barfing and, if they managed to make it to 2 gallons, would likely die from water intoxication first.

 

[AK-]

So, boric acid is considered of concern for reproductive harm because Dogs had testicles atrophy after ingesting 32mg/Kg of body mass per day during 90days.
The Lethal Dose of boric acid is 2–3 g in infants, 5–6 g in children, and 15–20 g in adults.

1 Gallon of pool water with 50ppm of borates has the equivalent of 1.08mg of boric acid. A dog would have to drink over 29 gallons of pool water to ingest 32mg and 1,851 gallons of water to ingest 2g. Boric acid is only poisonous if taken internally or inhaled.

NOTE: JoyfulNoise beat me to it... but I'm posting anyway

 

[JoyfulNoise]

I think the proper answer to all things concerning borate toxicity is to keep it simple - don’t drink the pool water and you’ll be fine.

 

[Selenap]

If someone dared me, I’d drink my pool water. Borates and all. Of course I’d chase it with some grey goose, just in case I took a drink from where a bird recently pooped. Really, I’d be more concerned about what popped in my pool than the borates.

 

[chiefwej]

Okay, sounds like I need to keep the toddler’s pool water consumption below a couple liters a day, just to be on the safe side. Thanks.