What Is Bromine?
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Bromine is a chemical element with atomic number 35 and the symbol Br. It's a dense, red-brown liquid at room temperature, one of only two elements (along with mercury) that are liquid at standard conditions. Bromine is used in flame retardants, water treatment, pharmaceuticals, and pesticides.
Bromine has a unique distinction on the periodic table: it's the only nonmetal that's liquid at room temperature. The dark red-brown color and the choking irritating vapor make bromine instantly recognizable in chemistry labs. While much of its 20th-century use as a fuel additive and pesticide has been phased out for environmental reasons, bromine remains essential to fire safety and water sanitation.
Where is bromine on the periodic table?
Bromine has atomic number 35, the symbol Br, and sits in group 17 of the periodic table among the halogens, along with fluorine, chlorine, iodine, and astatine. Its atomic mass is about 79.9. Two stable isotopes exist, Br-79 and Br-81, in roughly equal abundance. Bromine was discovered independently in 1825 by Antoine-Jérôme Balard and Carl Löwig from salt brine, and named from the Greek bromos meaning 'stench' because of its irritating smell. The element makes up about 6.5 ppm of seawater but is rarely found in concentrated deposits.
What are the properties of bromine?
Bromine is unique among nonmetals for being liquid at room temperature, melting at -7.2°C and boiling at 58.8°C. The liquid is a dense, oily, dark red-brown color with a density of 3.10 g/cm³, over three times denser than water. Bromine vapor is red-orange and extremely irritating to eyes and lungs. The element is highly reactive, especially with metals, and is corrosive to most materials. Bromine dissolves slightly in water (forming bromine water used in chemistry tests) and more readily in nonpolar solvents like carbon tetrachloride and chloroform.
What is bromine used for?
Flame retardants account for the largest single use of bromine, with brominated compounds added to plastics, textiles, electronics, and building materials to slow combustion. Bromine compounds sanitize pool and spa water, often preferred over chlorine for hot tubs because they're more stable at higher temperatures. Pharmaceuticals use brominated organic compounds in some sedatives, antiseptics, and other medications. Oil and gas drilling uses bromine-based fluids in well completion. Photography historically used silver bromide in film, though digital cameras have eliminated this market.
Is bromine dangerous?
Liquid bromine is corrosive and quickly causes severe burns on skin contact, with the worst damage delayed several hours after exposure. Bromine vapor is highly toxic to inhale, causing severe respiratory damage at high concentrations and chronic problems at lower exposures. Many bromine compounds are also dangerous, though some are essential medications. Brominated flame retardants have become controversial because some accumulate in the environment and the body, with several specific compounds banned or restricted. Pure bromine should be handled only with proper ventilation, gloves, and eye protection.
Bromine is the heavy red-brown liquid that defies the usual rules of nonmetals. Once used everywhere from gasoline additives to film photography, today bromine quietly does the work of keeping pools clean, electronics from burning, and certain medicines working as intended.
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