Bromine Uses

Bromine is one of the member of the halogens group of the periodic table. The halogens group contains iodine, fluorine and chlorine along with bromine. The atomic number of bromine is 35 and its atomic weight is 79.90. Bromine is a unique element in the periodic table, in the sense, that it is the only non-metallic element which can be found in the liquid form at room temperature. Bromine is known to be harmful to humans. It can affect eyes, skin and the respiratory tract. So, how is bromine used? This query can be answered in the list of some important bromine uses.

What is Bromine Used For?
Bromine in the liquid form is reddish-brown in color. Its vapors give off a pungent smell and are red in color. It was found that bromine is more soluble in carbon disulfide and solvents, like methanol and acetic acid rather than water. In the compound form, bromine is used in industrial applications. Needing only one electron to complete an octet of an electron, in the outermost shell, bromine acts as strong oxidizing agent. This fact is very well used in bromine applications all over the world.

Bromine Uses in Fire Retardant Chemicals
One of the important uses of bromine is to make brominated flame retardants, as they help in the inhibition of combustible materials. These are used as chemical flame retardants in the plastic industry and in products, such as cables, connectors, plastic covers. Bromine's flame retardant property, is used to make products, like carpets, upholstery, paints and kitchen appliances safe. It is also used in the clothing and furniture industries, to prevent the products from catching fire. In the electronics industries, especially in computers, it is used to make printed circuit boards safe from fire. Polybrominated diphenyl ether, polybrominated biphenyl, decabromodiphenyl ether, hexabromocyclododecane, tetrabromobisphenol are few of the examples of flame retardants that are made using bromine.

Bromine Uses as a Disinfectant
Bromine is a bleaching agent and is used to disinfect water. However, the water that is disinfected, is from the cooling tower and the swimming pools. It is also used as a sanitizer, in areas, where there is less or no chances of it coming in contact with food. Its uses as a sanitizer and a germicide are to control bacteria, algae and fungi and is used in hospitals, commercial industries and households. Bromine is, also, preferred for disinfection of industrial water.

Bromine Uses in Water Purification Compounds
Bromine is also used to make compounds, that are used in water purification systems. Water purification compounds such as tralomethrin are used in the water purification systems, to purify drinking water. The presence of bromine, in quantities such as 100mg/deciliter in water, is the lowest toxic level of bromine in it. If found in quantities higher than these, bromine can prove to be harmful. The bromine present in the drinkable water purified by the water filters is kept low enough to make the water safe for human consumption.

Bromine Uses in Pesticides
Bromine is also used to make chemicals that work as pesticides and destroy pests. Among the bromine uses, this use is of most importance to humans, as it is related to the food produced. It is most preferred in the agriculture industry, especially by the fruit growers, to handle pests which attack crops, such as potatoes, tomatoes and etc. Methyl bromide, made using bromine, is a chemical compound that acts as a fumigate. It is used to protect stored grains and other produces by destroying pests.

Bromine Uses in Photography Film
The most well known use of bromine, is in making photographic film. A chemical compound, silver bromide, made using bromine is light sensitive and is used in photography. Its microscopic particles, when exposed to light, undergo a change as a result of chemical reaction. This property of silver bromide is responsible for the production of the image, when the photographic film is exposed to light when you click the shutter. Potassium bromide is used in photography, to prevent undesired reduction of silver, which causes fogging in a photograph.

Bromine Uses in Medicines
Bromine has been used as a drug, for a long time, in one or the other form. Primarily, chemical compounds derived from bromine are used as oral sedatives, to treat epilepsy and as diuretics. The bromine is well known for its central nervous system depression role in bromide poisoning. Potassium bromide was used as a preferred sedative for a long time.

Bromine Uses in Dyes
It was in 1909, when a German chemist Paul Friedländer found that the Tyrian purple dye contains bromine. In this form, bromine was known to man for few thousand years. Tyrian purple dye is nothing but a chemical 6,6'-dibromoindigo. There are many applications of bromine in the textile industry. One such dye used is tetrabutylammonium bromide.

Bromine is a very useful element, as can be seen from the uses of bromine presented above. You can find bromine uses, from the primary industry, such as agriculture, to products that are used for recreation, such as photography. The industries like pharmaceuticals and dyeing, also use chemicals that are derived from bromine. More on: bromine: the element.