 Discovery Information |
| Who:
Antoine J. Balard
|
| When: 1826 |
| Where: France |
|
| Name Origin |
| Greek: bromos (stench). |
|
| Sources |
| Occurs in compounds in sea water. |
|
| Uses |
| Used for water purification (swimming pools), manufacture of ethylene dibromide (anti-knocking gasoline), bleaching, organic synthesis, solvent, analytical reagent, fire retardant for plastics, pharmaceuticals, shrink-proofing wool. |
|
| Notes |
| 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 vapor (from 10 ppm) can affect breathing, and inhalation of significant amounts of bromine can seriously damage the respiratory system. |
