Bromine is the only liquid nonmetallic element at room temperature. It is also a heavy, mobile, reddish-brown liquid, that evaporates easily at standard temperature and pressures in a red vapor that has a strong disagreeable odor. A halogen, bromine resembles chlorine chemically but is less active (it is more active than iodine however). Bromine is very soluble in water or carbon disulfide (forming a red solution). It bonds easily with many elements and has a strong bleaching action.
Bromine is highly reactive and is a powerful oxidizing agent in the presence of water. It reacts vigorously with amines, olefins[?] and phenols as well as aliphatic and aromatichydrocarbons, ketones and acids (these are brominated by either addition or substitution). With many of the metals and elements, anhydrous bromine is less reactive than wet bromine; however, dry bromine reacts vigorously with aluminum, titanium, mercury as as well as alkaline earth and alkaline metals.
Elemental bromine is used to manufacture a wide variety of bromine compounds
used in industry and agriculture. Traditionally the largest use of bromine was
in the production of ethylene dibromide which in turn was used as a gasoline anti-knock agent for leaded gasolines before they were largely phased out due to environmental considerations.
Bromine is also used in making fumigants, flameproofing agents, water purification compounds, dyes, medicinals, sanitizes, inorganic bromides for photography, etc.
Bromine occurs in nature as bromide salts[?] in very diffuse amounts in crustal rock. Due to leaching bromide salts have accumulated in sea water
(85 ppm), and may be economically recovered from brine wells and the Dead Sea (up to 5000 ppm).
Approximately 500 million kilograms ($350 million USD) of bromine are produced per year (2001) worldwide with the United States and Israel being the primary producers.
Elemental bromine is highly toxic, and touch or breathing more than trace amounts (10 ppm) can cause immediate health problems or death. Bromine is very irritating to both eyes and throat produces painful sores after making contact with skin. Improper handling of this element can be a serious health hazard requiring maximum safety precautions.
considerably. That lake itself, whose diameter has been estimated
noise was owing to the increased force.html">force of the fire.html">fire.html">fire-fountain, which
fountains, like wheat-sheaves, at its lower part. These cross-
lower part of the perpendicular jets was the same; but as they rose.html">rose
and splashes were as rubies and flame mingled. For ever falling in
own: companioned only by the solemn stars: exhibiting no other
and smoke; it burns for the Creator's eye alone. No foot of mortal
fountain, its beauty of form, and its radiant.html">radiant reflection on the
to its surges beating, and the ebb and flow of its thunder-music.
at a height of 300feet, suddenly became quite low, and for a few
with a roar like the sound of gathering waters, nearly the whole
internal force, and rose three times with its whole radiant mass, in
surrounding cliffs, of six hundred feet, while the earth trembled,
this the fire-fountain played as before. The cold had become
words occurring to me with a new meaning, "dwelling in the light
and then attempted to prepare breakfast by the fire; but no one
headache, which shortly became agonizing, and he lay on the ground.html">ground
extreme lassitude, and exhaustion followed the slightest effort; but
canteens was hard frozen, and the keenness of the cold aggravated
The native guide was the only person capable of work, so we were
ground, only stopping once to tighten our girths. Not a rope,
without a crupper, the breeching of a pack mule's saddle kept mine
owing to the continued stretch of very steep declivity for eight
if they had not travelled at all. The horses were terribly cut,
.
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