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Bromine

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Bromine

Atomic Mass	79.904
Electron Configuration	[Ar]4s23d104p5
Oxidation States	+5, +1, -1
Year Discovered	1826

Bromine

Atomic Mass	79.904
Electron Configuration	[Ar]4s23d104p5
Oxidation States	+5, +1, -1
Year Discovered	1826

Identifiers

Element Name	Bromine
Element Symbol	Br
InChI	InChI=1S/Br
InChIKey	WKBOTKDWSSQWDR-UHFFFAOYSA-N

Properties

Atomic Weight	[79.901, 79.907] 79.904 79.90 [79.901,79.907]
Electron Configuration	[Ar]4s²3d¹⁰4p⁵
Atomic Radius	Van der Waals Atomic Radius :183 pm (Van der Waals) Empirical Atomic Radius :115pm (Empirical) Covalent Atomic Radius :120(3) pm (Covalent)
Oxidation States	+5, +1, -1 , 5, 4, 3, 1, -1 (a strongly acidic oxide)
Ground Level	²P°_3/2
Ionization Energy	11.814 eV 11.81381 ± 0.00006 eV
Electronegativity	Pauling Scale Electronegativity :2.96(Pauling Scale) Allen Scale Electronegativity :2.685(Allen Scale)
Electron Affinity	3.365eV 3.36eV
Atomic Spectra	Lines Holdings Levels Holdings
Physical Description	Liquid
Element Classification	Non-metal
Element Period Number	4
Element Group Number	17 - Halogen
Density	3.11 grams per cubic centimeter
Melting Point	265.95 K (-7.2°C or 19.0°F) -7.2°C
Boiling Point	331.95 K (58.8°C or 137.8°F) 58.8°C
Estimated Crustal Abundance	2.4 milligrams per kilogram
Estimated Oceanic Abundance	6.73×10¹ milligrams per liter

History

The name derives from the Greek bromos for "bad stench" or "bad odour". It was first prepared by the German chemist Carl Löwig in 1825, but it was first publicly announced in 1826 by the French chemist and pharmacist Antoine-Jérôme Balard, and so the discovery is, therefore, credited to him.

The only nonmetallic element that is a liquid at normal room temperatures, bromine was produced by Carl Löwig, a young chemistry student, the summer before starting his freshman year at Heidelberg. When he showed his professor, Leopold Gmelin, the red, smelly liquid he had produced, Gmelin realized that this was an unknown substance and encouraged Löwig to produce more of it so they could study it in detail. Unfortunately, winter exams and the holidays delayed Löwig's work long enough for another chemist, Antoine-Jérôme Balard, to publish a paper in 1826 describing the new element. Balard was credited with the discovery and named it after the greek word for stench, bromos. Today, bromine is primarily obtained by treating brines from wells in Michigan and Arkansas with chlorine.

From the Greek word bromos, stench. Discovered by Balard in 1826, but not prepared in quantity until 1860.

Historical Atomic Weights

Year	Atomic Weight (uncertainty) [u]	Reference
2011	[79.901, 79.907]	https://doi.org/10.1351/PAC-REP-13-03-02
1965	79.904(1)	https://doi.org/10.1351/pac196918040569
1961	79.909(2)	https://doi.org/10.1021/ja00881a001
1925	79.916	https://doi.org/10.1039/CT9252700913
1909	79.92	https://doi.org/10.1021/ja01931a001
1902	79.96	https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01370337

Historical Isotopic Abundances

Year	Isotope	Abundance (uncertainty)	Reference
2013	⁷⁹Br	[0.505, 0.508]	https://doi.org/10.1515/pac-2015-0503
2013	⁸¹Br	[0.492, 0.495]	https://doi.org/10.1515/pac-2015-0503
1989	⁷⁹Br	0.5069(7)	https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199163070991
1989	⁸¹Br	0.4931(7)	https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199163070991
1975	⁷⁹Br	0.5069	https://doi.org/10.1351/pac197647010075
1975	⁸¹Br	0.4931	https://doi.org/10.1351/pac197647010075

Description

Bromine is the only nonmetallic liquid element. It is a heavy, mobile, reddish-brown liquid, volatilizing readily at room temperature to a red vapor with a strong disagreeable odor, resembling chlorine, and having a very irritating effect on the eyes and throat; it is readily soluble in water or carbon disulfide, forming a red solution, is less active than chlorine but more so than iodine; it unites readily with many elements and has a bleaching action; when spilled on the skin it produces painful sores. It presents a serious health hazard, and maximum safety precautions should be taken when handling it.

Users

Elemental bromine is a hazardous material. It causes severe burns when it comes in contact with the skin and its vapor irritates the eyes, nose and throat. Most of the bromine produced in the United States was used in the manufacture of ethylene dibromide(C2H4Br2), a chemical added to leaded gasolines that prevented the accumulation of lead compounds within the engine. With the discontinuation of leaded gasolines in favor of unleaded gasolines, the demand for bromine has been greatly reduced. Silver bromide (AgBr), a chemical used in photography, now accounts for the largest use of bromine. Other bromine compounds are used in fumigants, in flameproofing agents and in some compounds used to purify water. Tyrian purple, an expensive purple dye known to ancient civilizations, was produced from an organic bromine compound secreted from a sea mussel known as the murex.

Bromine is used in making fumigants, flameproofing agents, water purification compounds, dyes, medicines, sanitizers, inorganic bromides for photography, etc. Organic bromides are also important.

Sources

A member of the halogen group, bromine is obtained from natural brines from wells in Michigan and Arkansas. Some bromine is extracted today from seawater, which contains only about 85 ppm.

Compounds

See more information at the Bromine compound page.

Element Forms

CID	Name	Formula	SMILES	Molecular Weight
259	bromide	Br-	[Br-]	79.90
5360770	bromine	Br	[Br]	79.90
186020	bromine-72(1-)	Br-	[72Br-]	71.93659
10290736	bromine-75(1-)	Br-	[75Br-]	74.92581
10313056	bromine-76(1-)	Br-	[76Br-]	75.9245
10313057	bromine-77(1-)	Br-	[77Br-]	76.92138
15605487	bromine-80(1-)	Br-	[80Br-]	79.91853
9855441	bromine-74(1-)	Br-	[74Br-]	73.92991
9942120	bromine-82(1-)	Br-	[82Br-]	81.91680
10219368	bromine-81(1-)	Br-	[81Br-]	80.91629
10290738	bromine-79(1-)	Br-	[79Br-]	78.91834

Isotopes

Stable Isotope Count	2

Isotopes in Earth/Planetary Science

Molecules, atoms, and ions of the stable isotopes of bromine possess slightly different physical and chemical properties, and they commonly will be fractionated during physical, chemical, and biological processes, giving rise to variations in isotopic abundances and in atomic weights. There are substantial variations in the isotopic abundances of bromine in natural terrestrial materials (Fig. IUPAC.35.1). These variations are useful in investigating the origin of substances and studying environmental, hydrological, and geological processes [13], [278]. 79Br has been used as a groundwater tracer (Fig. IUPAC.35.2). Introduction of a solution spiked with 79Br to groundwater and measurement of the change in the isotope-amount ratio n(79Br)/n(81Br) over time has been used to monitor tracer breakthrough and to calculate bromide travel time [279].

Fig. IUPAC.35.1: Variation in atomic weight with isotopic composition of selected bromine-bearing materials (modified from [13]).

Fig. IUPAC.35.2: Depiction of a hypothetical subsurface/groundwater tracer test with ⁷⁹Br. The tracer cloud identifies the location of the dissolved ⁷⁹Br spike. ⁷⁹Br concentration in water of the tracer cloud is compared to ⁷⁹Br concentration in groundwater samples in the neighboring sample site. (Diagram Source: U.S. Geological Survey, 2009) [280].

[13] M. W. Wieser, T. B. Coplen. Pure Appl Chem.83, 359 (2011).

[278] R. L. Stotler, S. K. Frape, O. Shouakar-Stash. Chem. Geol.274, 38 (2010).

[279] M. D’Alessandro, G. Bidoglio, F. Mousty, J. V. Sala Benito, A. Y. De Llano. J. Hydrol.193, 351 (1997).

[280] Toxic Substances Hydrology Program. Hormones Degrade in the Environment! U.S. Geological Survey (2014), Feb. 26; http://toxics.usgs.gov/highlights/hormones_degrade.html.

Isotopes in Medicine

77Br (with a half-life of 57 h) is used to label radiopharmaceuticals that bind to estrogen receptors for tumor imaging. 75Br (with a half-life of 97 min) is being used with positron emission tomography (PET) imaging [281].

[281] K. D. McElvany, J. A. Katzenellenbogen, K. E. Shafer, B. A. Siegel, S. G. Senderoff, M. J. Welch, Los Alamos Medical Radioisotope Group. J. Nucl. Med.23, 425 (1982).

Isotopes Used as a Source of Radioactive Isotope(s)

79Br is used in the proton cyclotron to produce 77Kr, which decays to 77Br via the reaction 79Br (p, 3n) 77Kr, which decays into 77Br [282].

[282] E. Galiano, R. Tilbury. Appl. Radiat. Isot.49, 105 (1998).

Isotope Mass and Abundance

Isotope	Atomic Mass (uncertainty) [u]	Abundance (uncertainty)
^79Br	78.918 338(7)	[0.505, 0.508]
^81Br	80.916 288(6)	[0.492, 0.495]

Isotope	Atomic Mass (uncertainty) [u]	Abundance (uncertainty)
⁷⁹Br	78.9183376(14)	0.5069(7)
⁸¹Br	80.9162897(14)	0.4931(7)

Atomic Mass, Half Life, and Decay

Nuclide	Atomic Mass and Uncertainty [u]	Half Life and Uncertainty	Discovery Year	Decay Modes, Intensities and Uncertainties [%]
⁶⁵Br	64.982297 ± 0.000537 [Estimated]	Not-specified <410ns		p ?
⁶⁶Br	65.974697 ± 0.000429 [Estimated]	Not-specified <410ns		p ?
⁶⁷Br	66.965078 ± 0.000322 [Estimated]	Not-specified		p ?
⁶⁸Br	67.958356 ± 0.000278 [Estimated]	Not-specified ~40ns	1995	p ?
⁶⁹Br	68.950338410 ± 0.000045091	<24 ns	1988	p=100%
⁶⁹Br^m	68.950338410 ± 0.000045091	Not-specified
⁶⁹Brⁿ	68.950338410 ± 0.000045091	Not-specified
⁷⁰Br	69.944792321 ± 0.000016	78.8 ms ± 0.3	1978	β⁺=100%; β⁺p ?
⁷⁰Br^m	69.944792321 ± 0.000016	2.16 s ± 0.05	1981	β⁺=100%; β⁺p ?
⁷¹Br	70.939342153 ± 0.000005799	21.4 s ± 0.6	1981	β⁺=100%
⁷²Br	71.936594606 ± 0.0000011	78.6 s ± 2.4	1970	β⁺=100%
⁷²Br^m	71.936594606 ± 0.0000011	10.6 s ± 0.3	1980	IT≈100%; β⁺ ?
⁷³Br	72.931673441 ± 0.000007237	3.4 m ± 0.2	1970	β⁺=100%
⁷⁴Br	73.929910279 ± 0.000006264	25.4 m ± 0.3	1952	β⁺=100%
⁷⁴Br^m	73.929910279 ± 0.000006264	46 m ± 2	1953	β⁺=100%
⁷⁵Br	74.925810566 ± 0.0000046	96.7 m ± 1.3	1948	β⁺=100%
⁷⁶Br	75.924541574 ± 0.000010007	16.2 h ± 0.2	1952	β⁺=100%
⁷⁶Br^m	75.924541574 ± 0.000010007	1.31 s ± 0.02	1979	IT≈100%; β⁺<0.6%
⁷⁷Br	76.921379193 ± 0.000003017	57.04 h ± 0.12	1948	β⁺=100%
⁷⁷Br^m	76.921379193 ± 0.000003017	4.28 m ± 0.10	1961	IT=100%
⁷⁸Br	77.921145858 ± 0.000003842	6.45 m ± 0.04	1937	β⁺≈100%; β^-<0.01%
⁷⁸Br^m	77.921145858 ± 0.000003842	119.4 us ± 1.0	1958	IT=100%
⁷⁹Br	78.918337574 ± 0.000001074	Stable	1920	IS=50.65±0.9%
⁷⁹Br^m	78.918337574 ± 0.000001074	4.85 s ± 0.04	1954	IT=100%
⁸⁰Br	79.918529784 ± 0.000001065	17.68 m ± 0.02	1937	β^-=91.7±0.2%; β⁺=8.3±0.2%
⁸⁰Br^m	79.918529784 ± 0.000001065	4.4205 h ± 0.0008	1937	IT=100%
⁸¹Br	80.916288197 ± 0.000001049	Stable	1920	IS=49.35±0.9%
⁸¹Br^m	80.916288197 ± 0.000001049	34.6 us ± 2.8	1967	IT=100%
⁸²Br	81.916801752 ± 0.000001042	35.282 h ± 0.007	1937	β^-=100%
⁸²Br^m	81.916801752 ± 0.000001042	6.13 m ± 0.05	1965	IT=97.6±0.3%; β^-=2.4±0.3%
⁸³Br	82.915175285 ± 0.000004073	2.374 h ± 0.004	1937	β^-=100%
⁸³Br^m	82.915175285 ± 0.000004073	729 ns ± 77	1989	IT=100%
⁸⁴Br	83.916496417 ± 0.000027622	31.76 m ± 0.08	1943	β^-=100%
⁸⁴Br^m	83.916496417 ± 0.000027622	6.0 m ± 0.2	1957	β^-=100%
⁸⁴Brⁿ	83.916496417 ± 0.000027622	<140 ns	1970	IT=100%
⁸⁵Br	84.915645758 ± 0.000003304	2.90 m ± 0.06	1943	β^-=100%
⁸⁶Br	85.918805432 ± 0.000003304	55.1 s ± 0.4	1962	β^-=100%
⁸⁷Br	86.920674016 ± 0.000003404	55.68 s ± 0.12	1943	β^-=100%; β^-n=2.60±0.4%
⁸⁸Br	87.924083290 ± 0.000003404	16.34 s ± 0.08	1948	β^-=100%; β^-n=6.58±1.8%
⁸⁸Br^m	87.924083290 ± 0.000003404	5.51 us ± 0.04	1970	IT=100%
⁸⁹Br	88.926704558 ± 0.000003504	4.357 s ± 0.022	1959	β^-=100%; β^-n=13.8±0.4%
⁹⁰Br	89.931292848 ± 0.000003604	1.910 s ± 0.010	1959	β^-=100%; β^-n=25.3±1.5%
⁹¹Br	90.934398617 ± 0.000003804	543 ms ± 4	1974	β^-=100%; β^-n=29.5±0.5%
⁹²Br	91.939631595 ± 0.000007202	314 ms ± 16	1974	β^-=100%; β^-n=33.1±2.5%; β^-2n ?
⁹²Br^m	91.939631595 ± 0.000007202	88 ns ± 8	2012	IT=100%
⁹²Brⁿ	91.939631595 ± 0.000007202	85 ns ± 10	2012	IT=100%
⁹³Br	92.943220000 ± 0.0004625	152 ms ± 8	1981	β^-=100%; β^-n=64±0.6%; β^-2n ?
⁹⁴Br	93.948846 ± 0.000215 [Estimated]	70 ms ± 20	1981	β^-=100%; β^-n=68±1.6%; β^-2n ?
⁹⁴Br^m	93.948846 ± 0.000215 [Estimated]	530 ns ± 15	2012	IT=100%
⁹⁵Br	94.952925 ± 0.000322 [Estimated]	80 ms >300ns [Estimated]	1997	β^- ?; β^-n ?; β^-2n ?
⁹⁵Br^m	94.952925 ± 0.000322 [Estimated]	6.8 us ± 1.0	2012	IT=100%
⁹⁶Br	95.958980 ± 0.000322 [Estimated]	20 ms >300ns [Estimated]	1997	β^- ?; β^-n ?; β^-2n ?
⁹⁶Br^m	95.958980 ± 0.000322 [Estimated]	3.0 us ± 0.9	2012	IT=100%
⁹⁷Br	96.963499 ± 0.000429 [Estimated]	40 ms >300ns [Estimated]	1997	β^- ?; β^-n ?; β^-2n ?
⁹⁸Br	97.969887 ± 0.000429 [Estimated]	15 ms >400ns [Estimated]	2010	β^- ?; β^-n ?; β^-2n ?

Information Sources

1. PubChem
https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
2. Atomic Mass Data Center (AMDC), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
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https://www-nds.iaea.org/disclaimer.html

Br
https://www-nds.iaea.org/amdc/
3. IUPAC Commission on Isotopic Abundances and Atomic Weights (CIAAW)
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http://www.ciaaw.org/bylaws.htm

Bromine
https://www.ciaaw.org/bromine.htm
4. Jefferson Lab, U.S. Department of Energy
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Please see citation and linking information https https://www.jlab.org/privacy-and-security-notice

Bromine
https://education.jlab.org/itselemental/ele035.html
5. Los Alamos National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy
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https://about.lanl.gov/lanl-resources/web-policies/

Bromine
https://periodic.lanl.gov/35.shtml
6. NIST Physical Measurement Laboratory
LICENSE
https://www.nist.gov/pml/database-disclaimer

Bromine
https://physics.nist.gov/cgi-bin/Elements/elInfo.pl?element=35
7. IUPAC Periodic Table of the Elements and Isotopes (IPTEI)
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Copyright (c) 2020 International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry. The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) contribution within Pubchem is provided under a CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license, unless otherwise stated.
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
https://doi.org/10.1515/pac-2015-0703
8. PubChem Elements
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https://www.nlm.nih.gov/copyright.html

Bromine

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