LaMotte Pool Manager Water Quality Handbook - Manual (Page 30)

Bromine
What is Bromine?
Bromine is a sanitizer sometimes used in place of
chlorine, particularly in hot water systems. In the same
way that chlorine forms hypochlorous acid, bromine in
water forms hypobromous acid. It is introduced into
water using one of three systems:
1.
A two-step system uses a bromide salt added to the
water as sodium bromide, which is oxidized to
hypobromous acid by monopersulfate compounds,
chlorine or ozone.
2.
Electrolytic generators can convert bromide salt to
bromine.
3.
The third system uses a stick or briquette that
contains chlorine and bromine. This is called
BCDMH
†
. When bromine reacts, it forms a bromide
ion. The chlorine in BCDMH reacts with the
bromide to regenerate bromine. In 1999 a similar
product was introduced, dibromodimethylhydatoin
(DBDMH), which does not contain chlorine. Both
of these bromine products are usually erosion-fed in
an automatic feeder.
Bromine, like chlorine, may be degraded by sunlight.
Bromine destroys bacteria, algae, and water-borne
diseases in much the same way that chlorine sanitizes
water. Like chlorine, bromine forms free available
bromine and combined bromine or bromamines.
Combined bromine is a very active sanitizer, and unlike
combined chlorine, does not have the pungent odor of
combined chlorine.
† 1-bromo-3-chloro-5,5-dimethyhydantoin
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