A group of healthy volunteers were exposed to bromine concentrations of 0.07-6.7 mg/m3 (0.01-1.0 ppm) for 0.5 h. A concentration-dependent increase in the number affected and severity of irritation was observed in the subjects. Bromine caused irritation of the eyes, nose and throat at a concentration of 1.3 mg/m3 (0.2 ppm), while levels of 3.3 mg/m3 (0.5 ppm) and above were not tolerable. The most common symptoms of exposure to bromine at concentrations of 1.3-3.3 mg/m3 (0.2-0.5 ppm) for 4 hours were upper respiratory symptoms, cough and headache, with symptoms lasting for up to 3 days in some individuals [1, 12].
Exposure to high levels of bromine vapour (actual concentration unknown) generated from a widely used water disinfectant employed in hot tubs was implicated in the development of reactive airways dysfunction syndrome in two exposed patients [1]. No further details were available. Table 2 outlines the health effects in humans following exposure to bromine vapour.