Bromine
(information)
Here’s a structured breakdown of the **20 most common uses of Bromine**, grouped by sector with approximate global consumption shares: --- # 📊 Global Bromine Uses by Sector --- ### **1–5: Flame Retardants (~45–50%)** 1. **Electronics Casings** – TVs, computers, smartphones. 2. **Textiles & Upholstery** – Fire-resistant fabrics. 3. **Construction Materials** – Insulation, plastics, and foams. 4. **Automotive Components** – Interiors, cables, and plastics. 5. **Aerospace & Military Materials** – Heat- and fire-resistant composites. --- ### **6–10: Oil & Gas Industry (~20%)** 6. **Drilling Fluids (Clear Brine Fluids)** – Well completion and workover fluids. 7. **Hydraulic Fracturing Additives** – Pressure control chemicals. 8. **Corrosion Inhibitors** – Protecting metal equipment. 9. **Catalysts in Refining** – Petrochemical production. 10. **Scale Control Agents** – Preventing deposits in oil wells. --- ### **11–15: Water Treatment & Sanitation (~10–12%)** 11. **Swimming Pool Sanitation** – Alternative to chlorine. 12. **Cooling Towers & Industrial Water** – Biocide against algae and bacteria. 13. **Drinking Water (Limited)** – Disinfection in specific cases. 14. **Marine Ballast Water Treatment** – Killing invasive species. 15. **Hot Tub & Spa Treatment** – Bromine-based disinfectants. --- ### **16–20: Chemicals, Medicine & Specialty (~15–20%)** 16. **Pharmaceuticals** – Sedatives, anticonvulsants, and anesthetics (historic and modern derivatives). 17. **Photography (Silver Bromide)** – Traditional photographic films and papers. 18. **Agricultural Chemicals** – Soil fumigants, pesticides (mostly phased out or restricted). 19. **Dyes & Pigments** – Brominated organic compounds in specialty dyes. 20. **Battery Research (Zinc–Bromine Flow Batteries)** – Emerging large-scale energy storage. --- # 💡 **Summary of Approximate Shares by Sector** | Sector | % of Global Bromine Use | | ------------------------------ | ----------------------- | | Flame Retardants | 45–50% | | Oil & Gas Industry | ~20% | | Water Treatment & Sanitation | 10–12% | | Chemicals, Medicine, Specialty | 15–20% | --- ✅ **Bottom line:** Bromine is dominated by **flame retardants (~50%)**, with major roles in **oil & gas (~20%)**, **water treatment (~10–12%)**, and **specialty chemicals/medicine (~15–20%)**. Would you like me to also do a **“historic vs modern uses” breakdown for Bromine** (like we did with Selenium and Arsenic), since its role has shifted from photography and fumigants toward flame retardants and energy storage? Excellent 👍 — here’s a **“Then vs Now” breakdown of Bromine uses**, showing how its role shifted from **agriculture, photography, and medicine** in the past to **flame retardants, oil & gas, and water treatment** today: --- # 🧪 Bromine Uses: Then vs Now --- ## **Historic Uses (Late 19th → Mid-20th Century)** * **Agriculture & Fumigation (~35–40%)** 1. Soil fumigants (methyl bromide, ethylene dibromide). 2. Grain & crop pesticides. 3. Nematode & fungus control. 4. Quarantine fumigation for imported goods. 5. Disinfectants for orchards and fields. * **Photography (~20–25%)** 6. Silver bromide in photographic film & paper. 7. X-ray films. 8. Projection & motion picture film. 9. Scientific imaging plates. 10. Darkroom chemistry. * **Medicine & Pharmaceuticals (~15%)** 11. Bromide salts as sedatives. 12. Anticonvulsant medications. 13. Anesthetics. 14. Tonics & “nerve calming” remedies. 15. Veterinary medicine. * **Industrial Chemicals (~20–25%)** 16. Dyes & pigments (brominated organics). 17. Fire extinguishing agents (early halons). 18. Gasoline additives (ethylene dibromide with lead). 19. Water disinfection (limited). 20. Metallurgy & chemical synthesis intermediates. --- ## **Modern Uses (21st Century)** * **Flame Retardants (~45–50%)** * Electronics casings, textiles, foams, aerospace, automotive plastics. * **Oil & Gas (~20%)** * Drilling brines, hydraulic fracturing fluids, corrosion inhibitors, scale control. * **Water Treatment (~10–12%)** * Swimming pools, cooling towers, marine ballast water, spas. * **Chemicals, Medicine & Specialty (~15–20%)** * Pharmaceuticals (modern brominated drugs). * Zinc–bromine flow batteries. * Dyes, pigments, specialty chemicals. * Limited photography & niche imaging. --- ## 📊 **Shift in Use (Then → Now)** | Sector | Historic Share | Modern Share | | ------------------------ | -------------- | ------------------------------ | | Agriculture & Fumigation | ~35–40% | <5% (restricted/mostly banned) | | Photography | ~20–25% | <2% (replaced by digital) | | Medicine & Pharma | ~15% | ~5–7% (more specialized) | | Industrial Chemicals | ~20–25% | ~15–20% (diversified) | | Flame Retardants | <5% | ~45–50% (dominant today) | | Oil & Gas | <5% | ~20% | | Water Treatment | <5% | ~10–12% | --- ✅ **Key Takeaway:** * **Then:** Bromine was heavily used in **agriculture fumigants, photography, and sedatives**. * **Now:** Bromine’s role has shifted to **flame retardants (~50%)**, **oil & gas (~20%)**, and **water treatment (~10%)**, with only niche uses in agriculture and photography today. --- Would you like me to generate **side-by-side pie charts** (Historic vs Modern Bromine uses) so you can **see the shift visually**, the same way we planned for Selenium and Arsenic?Known Methods of Extraction
Perfect 👍 — next in **periodic table order** is **Bromine (Br, atomic number 35).** Bromine is a **halogen** that does **not occur free** in nature. It is primarily obtained from **brines and salt lakes**, especially those rich in **bromide ions (Br⁻)**. Industrial extraction involves **oxidation and displacement reactions** to produce liquid bromine. Here are the **20 most common methods of extracting Bromine**: --- # **20 Most Common Methods of Extracting Bromine** ### **A. Industrial / Large-Scale Methods** 1. **Oxidation of Bromide Ions in Brine with Chlorine (Cl₂ + 2Br⁻ → Br₂ + 2Cl⁻)** – Most common industrial method. 2. **Oxidation with Hypochlorite (OCl⁻ + 2Br⁻ + 2H⁺ → Br₂ + Cl⁻ + H₂O)** – Alternative industrial method. 3. **Oxidation with Chlorate (ClO₃⁻ + 2Br⁻ + 2H⁺ → Br₂ + Cl⁻ + H₂O)** – Used in some plants. 4. **Oxidation with Ozone (O₃ + 2Br⁻ + 2H⁺ → Br₂ + O₂ + H₂O)** – Specialty or laboratory method. 5. **Fractional Distillation of Br₂ from Aqueous Solution** – Purifies bromine. 6. **Extraction from Natural Brines using Air Stripping** – Evaporation and condensation method. --- ### **B. Hydrometallurgical / Chemical Methods** 7. **Oxidation with KMnO₄ (MnO₄⁻ + 2Br⁻ + 2H⁺ → Br₂ + MnO₂ + H₂O)** – Lab or specialty production. 8. **Oxidation with H₂O₂ in Acidic Solution** – Laboratory-scale production. 9. **Precipitation of Bromine as AgBr (Ag⁺ + Br⁻ → AgBr)** – For purification in labs. 10. **Displacement from Sea Water Brines using Iodine or Bromine Exchange** – Experimental lab method. 11. **Electrolytic Oxidation of Br⁻ Solutions** – Produces elemental bromine at the anode. 12. **Recovery from Sea Water Evaporation Ponds** – Concentration of Br⁻ → chemical oxidation. --- ### **C. Laboratory / Small-Scale Methods** 13. **Oxidation of KBr or NaBr Salts with H₂SO₄ + MnO₂** – Produces bromine vapor. 14. **Oxidation of Bromide with Nitric Acid (HNO₃ + KBr → Br₂ + NO₂ + KNO₃)** – Lab preparation. 15. **Reduction of Bromates (KBrO₃) with Acidified Br⁻ Solutions** – Produces Br₂. 16. **Thermal Decomposition of Bromine Compounds (e.g., Bromates)** – Experimental method. --- ### **D. Specialized / Recycling Methods** 17. **Recovery from Brominated Flame Retardants** – Hydrometallurgical extraction. 18. **Recovery from Brominated Pesticides** – Chemical oxidation and separation. 19. **Plasma Reduction of Bromine Compounds** – Experimental high-purity method. 20. **Solar-Thermal Oxidation of Bromide Solutions** – Experimental renewable energy extraction. --- ✅ **Summary:** * **Main industrial method:** Oxidation of bromide ions in brines using chlorine → liquid bromine → purification by distillation. * **Alternative oxidants:** Hypochlorite, chlorate, ozone, permanganate, hydrogen peroxide. * **Laboratory/experimental:** Oxidation of bromide salts with acids, MnO₂, HNO₃, or bromates. * **Electrochemical:** Electrolysis of bromide solutions. * **Recycling sources:** Brominated flame retardants, pesticides. --- Next in periodic order is **Krypton (Kr, atomic number 36).** Do you want me to continue with **20 extraction methods for Krypton**?
