Human Metabolome Database: Bromine
Description
A halogen element, bromine is a red volatile liquid at standard room temperature which has a reactivity between chlorine and iodine. This element is corrosive to human tissue in a liquid state and its vapors irritate eyes and throat. Bromine vapors are very toxic upon inhalation. 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. Bromine is highly reactive and is a powerful oxidizing agent in the presence of water. It reacts vigorously with amines, alkenes and phenols as well as aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, ketones and acids (these are brominated by either addition or substitution reactions). 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 well as alkaline earth metals and alkaline metals.
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