What is the function of cyanuric acid?

For water treatment, particularly swimming pool water treatment, if you are unaware of this, you must read to the end.

What is cyanuric acid? Cyanuric acid is a white crystalline powder that can be used as an additive in food or cosmetics; it is inherently harmless. China dominates the global cyanuric acid market, accounting for approximately 76% of its share. Cyanuric acid serves as a stable chlorine disinfectant, enabling the production of chlorinated compounds such as trichloroisocyanuric acid. It facilitates the storage and transportation of chlorine, establishing itself as the most prevalent disinfectant in swimming pools. First employed for pool disinfection in 1958, In swimming pool environments, cyanuric acid is safe and non-toxic. However, due to its inherent properties, cyanuric acid is highly stable and resistant to decomposition. It readily accumulates in pools, causing chlorine to become bound and unable to perform its disinfecting function, leading to bacterial and viral contamination exceeding permissible levels.

Currently, no effective chemical agents exist to decompose cyanuric acid. Consequently, when cyanuric acid levels exceed standards in swimming pools, dilution with water is the only recourse. To mitigate water quality issues arising from excessive cyanuric acid, national regulations stipulate that its concentration must remain below 50 parts per million (ppm).