Metabolism/Pharmacokinetics:
Metabolism/Metabolites:
In water, and living organisms, bromine forms bromide.
[USEPA/Office of Pesticide Programs; Reregistration Eligibility Decision Document - Bromine p. 6-10. EPA-738-F-93-023 (December 1998) Available from, as of June 7, 2007: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/reregistration/status.htm **PEER REVIEWED**
Absorption, Distribution & Excretion:
Bromine vapors enter body by respiratory system, skin and digestive system. It has cumulative properties, being deposited in tissues as bromides.
[European Commission/European Chemical Substances Information System (ESIS); IUCLID Dataset, Bromine (7726-95-6) p. 35 (2000). Available from, as of October 2, 2014: http://esis.jrc.ec.europa.eu/ **PEER REVIEWED**
Biological Half-Life:
Biological half-lives of bromine in 15 different organs and tissues of the rat, in addition to the whole-body half-life, were determined by measuring the radioactive concentration of 82Br-bromide in samples of tissues collected at the time intervals of 12-396 hr from animals that continuously (up to 17 d) received 82Br-labeled bromide in their drinking water. The half-life values, calculated from the experimental data by the method of gradual estimates of the parameters in question with the SPSS statistical program, ranged from 94.3 + or - 14.6 hr in the thyroid gland to 235.0 + or - 88.9 hr in liver. In most of the studied tissues, the biological half-lives of bromine were shorter than in the whole body, in which it equaled 197.8 + or - 22.2 hr. Significant correlation between the values of the steady-state concentration of bromide and of the biological half-life was found for most tissues (except for liver). ...
[Pavelka S et al; Biol Trace Elem Res. 76 (1): 57-66 (2000)] **PEER REVIEWED** PubMed Abstract
The biological half-life for bromide through ingestion is 12 to 30 days.
[IPCS INCHEM; Poisons Information Monographs, Bromine (PIM 080). Available from, as of June 25, 2007: http://www.inchem.org/pages/pims.html **PEER REVIEWED**
Bromide has a half-life of about 12 days in the human body.
[USEPA/Office of Pesticide Programs; Reregistration Eligibility Decision Document - Bromine p. 6-10. EPA-738-F-93-023 (December 1998) Available from, as of June 7th, 2007: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/reregistration/status.htm **PEER REVIEWED**
10.5 days and in an average clearance of 0.68 mL/min.
[Seiler, H.G., H. Sigel and A. Sigel (eds.). Handbook on the Toxicity of Inorganic Compounds. New York, NY: Marcel Dekker, Inc. 1988., p. 147] **PEER REVIEWED**
Mechanism of Action:
Due to its potent oxidatizing action, bromine liberates nascent oxygen or oxygen free radicals from the water present in mucous membranes. Nascent oxygen is a potent oxidizer, capable of producing tissue damage. The extent of the damage is dependent on the dose of bromine and the availability of water to react with it. In addition, the formation of hydrobromic and bromic acids will result in secondary irritation during the reaction.
[IPCS INCHEM; Poisons Information Monographs, Bromine (PIM 080). Available from, as of June 25, 2007: http://www.inchem.org/pages/pims.html **PEER REVIEWED**
Pharmacology:
Reported Fatal Dose:
An oral dose of 1 mL is regarded as lethal in adults.
[European Commission/European Chemical Substances Information System (ESIS); IUCLID Dataset, Bromine (7726-95-6) p. 40 (2000). Available from, as of October 2, 2014: http://esis.jrc.ec.europa.eu/ **PEER REVIEWED**
Concentration of 11-23 mg/cu m produces severe choking ... 30-60 mg/cu m is extremely dangerous ... 200 mg/cu m would prove fatal in very short time ... vapors can cause acute as well as chronic poisoning .. it has cumulative properties ..
[European Commission/European Chemical Substances Information System (ESIS); IUCLID Dataset, Bromine (7726-95-6) p. 37 (2000). Available from, as of October 2, 2014: http://esis.jrc.ec.europa.eu/ **PEER REVIEWED**
Environmental Fate & Exposure:
Environmental Fate/Exposure Summary:
Bromine's production and use in the manufacture of flame retardants, oil well drilling fluids, pesticides, pharmaceuticals and other compounds may result in its release to the environment through various waste streams; its use as a fumigant for stored grains and other produce and use as water disinfectant in hot tubs, swimming pools and whirlpools will result in its direct release to the environment. If released to air, a vapor pressure of 212 mm Hg at 25 deg C indicates bromine will exist solely as a vapor in the atmosphere. Vapor-phase bromine in the atmosphere (BR2) will react with photochemically-produced hydroxyl radicals; the half-life for this reaction in air is estimated to be 8.6 hours. Bromine absorbs at wavelengths >290 nm and, therefore, may be susceptible to direct photolysis by sunlight. If released to soil, volatilization from moist soil surfaces is expected to be an important fate process based upon a Henry's Law constant of 1.32X10-3 atm-cu m/mole. Bromine is expected to volatilize rapidly from dry soil surfaces based upon its vapor pressure. If released into water, volatilization from water surfaces is expected to be an important fate process based upon this compound's Henry's Law constant. When bromine dissolves in water, it partially disproportionates into HOBr (hypobromous acid). Above pH 3, the fraction present as Br2 decreases and HOBr is formed; between pH 6 and pH 8, most of the bromine is present as HOBr. Bromine will slowly be reduced to bromide by natural oxidizable materials in water and soil. Occupational exposure to bromine may occur through inhalation and dermal contact with this compound at workplaces where bromine is produced or used. (SRC)
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Probable Routes of Human Exposure:
According to the 2012 TSCA Inventory Update Reporting data, the number of persons reasonably likely to be exposed in the industrial manufacturing, processing, and use of bromine is 100 to 999; the data may be greatly underestimated(1).
[(1) US EPA; Chemical Data Reporting (CDR). Non-confidential 2012 Chemical Data Reporting information on chemical production and use in the United States. Available from, as of Oct 14, 2014: http://www.epa.gov/cdr/pubs/guidance/cdr_factsheets.html **PEER REVIEWED**
NIOSH (NOES Survey 1981-1983) has statistically estimated that 62,214 workers (10,780 of these are female) are potentially exposed to bromine in the US(1). Occupational exposure to bromine may occur through inhalation and dermal contact with this compound at workplaces where bromine is produced or used(SRC).
[(1) NIOSH; NOES. National Occupational Exposure Survey conducted from 1981-1983. Estimated numbers of employees potentially exposed to specific agents by 2-digit standard industrial classification (SIC). Available from, as of Oct 10, 2014: http://www.cdc.gov/noes/ **PEER REVIEWED**
Natural Pollution Sources:
Bromine does not exist in nature in its elemental state, Br(1), but is found solely as the bromide(2).
[(1) O'Neil MJ, ed; The Merck Index. 15th ed., Cambridge, UK: Royal Society of Chemistry, p. 246 (2013) (2) Mills JF; Bromine. Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry. 7th ed. (1999-2014). New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons. Online Posting Date: June 15, 2000.] **PEER REVIEWED**
Artificial Pollution Sources:
Bromine's production and use in the manufacture of flame retardants, oil well drilling fluids, pesticides, pharmaceuticals and other compounds(1,2) may result in its release to the environment through various waste streams(SRC); its use as a fumigant for stored grains and other produce(2) and use as water disinfectant in hot tubs, swimming pools and whirlpools(1,2) will result in its direct release to the environment(SRC).
[(1) O'Neil MJ, ed; The Merck Index. 15th ed., Cambridge, UK: Royal Society of Chemistry, p. 246 (2013) (2) Grinbaum B, Freiberg M; Bromine. Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology. (1999-2014). New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons. Online Posting Date: Oct 14, 2011.] **PEER REVIEWED**
Environmental Fate:
TERRESTRIAL FATE: Volatilization of bromine from moist soil surfaces is expected to be an important fate process(SRC) given a estimated Henry's Law constant of 1.32X10-3 atm-cu m/mole(1). Bromine is expected to volatilize from dry soil surfaces(SRC) based upon a vapor pressure of 212 mm Hg at 25 deg C(2). Bromine is reportedly vaporized rapidly at room temperature(3). Bromine will slowly be reduced to bromide by natural oxidizable materials in water and soil(4).
[(1) Sander R; Compilation of Henry's Law Constants for Inorganic and Organic Species of Potential Importance in Environmental Chemistry. Available from, as of Oct 10, 2014: http://www.henrys-law.org/henry.pdf (2) Daubert TE, Danner RP; Physical and Thermodynamic Properties of Pure Chemicals Data Compilation. Washington, DC: Taylor and Francis (1989) (3) O'Neil MJ, ed; The Merck Index. 15th ed., Cambridge, UK: Royal Society of Chemistry, p. 246 (2013) (4) European Commission; IUCLID Dataset, Bromine (CAS No. 7726-95-6), Feb 19, 2000. Available from, as Oct 14, 2014: http://esis.jrc.ec.europa.eu/doc/IUCLID/datasheet/7726956.pdf **PEER REVIEWED**
AQUATIC FATE: Volatilization of bromine from water surfaces is expected(1) based upon a Henry's Law constant of 1.32X10-3 atm-cu m/mole(2). Using this Henry's Law constant and an estimation method(1), volatilization half-lives for a model river and model lake are 4.5 hours and 5 days, respectively(SRC). When bromine dissolves in water, it partially disproportionates into HOBr (hypobromous acid) and HBr(3). Above pH 3, the fraction present as Br2 decreases and HOBr is formed(4); between pH 6 and pH 8, most of the bromine is present as HOBr(4). Bromine will slowly be reduced to bromide by natural oxidizable materials in water and soil(4). Bromine absorbs at wavelengths >290 nm(5) and, therefore, may be susceptible to direct photolysis on water surfaces exposed to sunlight(SRC).
[(1) Lyman WJ et