The Threat of Food Additive Occurrence in the Environment—A Case Study on the Example of Swimming Pools

Widespread use and the continuous increase in consumption has intensified the presence of food additives and their metabolites in the environment. The growing awareness that newly identified compounds in the environment may cause a real threat, both to the environment and to future generations due to the transformation they undergo in ecosystems, makes this topic a leading problem of engineering and environmental protection. This manuscript highlights the relevance of finding these compounds in water. The exposure routes and the threat, both to human health and to the aquatic environment, have been discussed. The research presented in the article was aimed at determining the degree of contamination of swimming pools with food additives. Thirteen food additives have been identified in ten tested pools. The most frequently found were antioxidants (E320, E321) and preservatives (E211, E210), which were present in all of the tested swimming pools, both public and in private backyards. Ascorbic acid (E300) and citric acid (E330) occurred in all of the tested private swimming pools, while aspartame (E951, sweetener) and canthaxanthin (E161g, colour) were identified only in private pools. The hazard statements according to the European Chemicals Agency indicate that the identified compounds may cause both immediate effects (skin or eye irritation, allergic reactions) and also long-lasting effects, e.g., damaged fertility or genetic defects.