Abstract

OBJECTIVE: to determine the effect of an aerobic swimming test in a chlorinated indoor swimming pool on the concentration of NO2-, H2O2 and pH in exhaled breath condensate. METHODS: ten amateur swimmers swam 2.5 km in a chlorinated pool. Samples were obtained before the test and four times in the eight hours after the test. Mixed models and the Spearman test were used for the statistical analysis. RESULTS: the test was performed at 74.99 +/- 10.10% of the cardiac reserve and lasted 50.80 +/- 8.98 minutes. After the test, NO2- (p = 0.04) and pH (p = 0.02) in the exhaled air condensate decreased. Pre-exercise values were related to the absolute changes p=0.0002, p=0.047 and with the training volume p = 0.017, p = 0.077 for NO2- and H2O2 respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Swimming in a chlorinated pool decreases the NO2- concentration and pH in exhaled breath condensate.