Discovery Information
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Who: Antoine J. Balard |
When: 1826 |
Where: France |
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Name Origin
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Greek: bromos (stench). |
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Sources
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Occurs in compounds in sea water. |
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Uses
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Used for water purification (swimming pools), manufacture of ethylene dibromide (C2H4Br2)(anti-knocking gasoline), bleaching, organic synthesis, solvent, analytical reagent, fire retardant for plastics, pharmaceuticals,
shrink-proofing wool.
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Bromine is used to make brominated vegetable oil, which is used as an emulsifier in many citrus-flavoured soft drinks. |
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Notes
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Because of its high cost, bromine is usually recycled rather than disposed of into the environment. |
About 500 million kilograms of bromine are produced each year worldwide, with the USA and Israel being the main producers. |
Elemental bromine is a strong irritant and, in concentrated form, will produce painful blisters on exposed skin and especially
mucous membranes. Even low concentrations of bromine vapour (from 10 ppm) can affect breathing, and inhalation of significant
amounts of bromine can seriously damage the respiratory system.
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