What can i do with bromine and chlorine... for pools

[dcstegg228]

There has got to be something cool to do with it... cool not k3wl! so any ideas?

[RyanJ]

There has got to be something cool to do with it... cool not k3wl! so any ideas?

 

Hmm, try this for chlorine and this for bromine.

 

Tell me where do they use bromine in pools

 

Cheers,

 

Ryan Jones

[dcstegg228]

Hmm' date=' try this for chlorine and this for bromine.

 

Tell me where do they use bromine in pools

 

Cheers,

 

Ryan Jones

We use bromine in my hot tub

[woelen]

Ryan, "bromine" and "chlorine" for pools are not the elements, but these are names for compounds, used for disinfecting swimming pools.

 

In the UK and most other european countries, a compound of chlorine is used in swimming pools (hence the chlorine-like smell). A very common compound in swimming pools is calcium hypochlorite, Ca(ClO)2.2H2O. Another common compound is sodium dichloroisocyanurate or trichloroisocyanuric acid. Both these compounds slowly release HClO when they are dissolved in water, giving a slow disinfecting effect.

All of these compounds can be used to make copious amounts of gaseous chlorine. The isocyanuric acid compounds release chlorine slowly, the calcium hypochlorite releases chlorine quite vigorously, when dilute hydrochloric acid is added. With the chloro isocyanurates you can make a nice constant stream of chlorine gas by adding dilute hydrochloric acid and gently heating.

 

In the USA, also bromine compounds are used for disinfecting swimming pools. A common compound, called "bromine" over there is simply sodium bromide, which can be added to a swimming pool, to which previously some chlorine- or hypochlorite-releasing compound was added. There also are other organic bromine compounds, which directly slowly release hypobromites or bromine at a very low rate. I do not know why bromine is used in the USA, in the Netherlands the use of bromine for swimming pools is prohibited, only chlorine-compounds are allowed.

 

With swimming pool "bromine", which is NaBr, you can easily make elementary bromine, with the swimming pool "chlorine" you can easily make elementary chlorine. The links, provided by Ryan contain some experiments with chlorine and bromine.

[YT2095]

the sodium dichloroisocyanurate mentioned is also used in sterilising tablets for baby bottles, and is also good for cleaning Home Brew kits

[jdurg]

Bromine is used in spas and some pools instead of chlorine because the chlorine tablets can mess with the pumps and other components of a pool and spa. By using bromine, the life of the pool/spa is extended a bit and the adverse reaction that chlorine products have on your skin is lessened if bromine compounds are used.

[RyanJ]

Bromine is used in spas and some pools instead of chlorine because the chlorine tablets can mess with the pumps and other components of a pool and spa. By using bromine, the life of the pool/spa is extended a bit and the adverse reaction that chlorine products have on your skin is lessened if bromine compounds are used.

 

So thats the reason. I would have thought that bromine compounds would have been just as bad for you... oh well

 

If that is the case when why are chlorine compounds used more often than bromine ones?

 

Cheers,

 

Ryan Jones

[YT2095]

Expense I expect, and also you`de be limited to what bromine salts you could use, Bromine smells quite badly, at least chlorine traces although smelly also, are somewhat tollerable

[RyanJ]

Expense I expect, and also you`de be limited to what bromine salts you could use, Bromine smells quite badly, at least chlorine traces although smelly also, are somewhat tollerable

 

Yes money is always a factor The smell would be a big problem, chlorine is bad enough

 

Cheers,

 

Ryan Jones

[YT2095]

IIRC, the word Bromine is from the Greek word "Bromos" meaning Stench.

[woelen]

In the Netherlands, bromine releasing compounds are prohibited in public swimming pools. It is not just because of the money, I think it has to do with concerns about health. Some people seem to react allergically on bromine and certain compounds, made of this. A few years ago, an accident happened on a high school, where some experiments were conducted with bromine. A little accident happened, which caused a bad smell outside. Many people noticed the smell, but there was not a real alarm, because the amount released was only small. However, one person's body was reacting extremely violently on the presence of the bromine and this person had to be taken away by ambulance, while all other people at the same place just noticed a certain unpleasant smell.

[YT2095]

isn`t it also suposed to affect ones Libido too?

 

Mind, smelling like that, no self respecting Partner would want to come near you anyway LOL

[RyanJ]

isn`t it also suposed to affect ones Libido too?

 

Mind' date=' smelling like that, no self respecting Partner would want to come near you anyway LOL [/quote']

 

Hmm...

 

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.

 

Does not sound to nice. The MSDS sheets also seem to indicate that there could be a lot of bad effects from using it here.

 

I'll stick with chlorine based compounds

 

Cheers,

 

Ryan Jones

[dcstegg228]

Hmm...

 

 

 

Does not sound to nice. The MSDS sheets also seem to indicate that there could be a lot of bad effects from using it here.

 

I'll stick with chlorine based compounds

 

Cheers' date='

 

Ryan Jones[/quote']

 

 

It,s not exactly 100% bromine.. its a powder or a big pellet like the standard pool chlorine, but it's smell is much better not worse!

[woelen]

It is not bromine at all!!! It is a compound of bromine, but not elemental bromine. Elemental bromine is a red/brown liquid, which gives off thick red fumes:

 

http://woelen.scheikunde.net/science/chem/compounds/bromine.html

http://woelen.scheikunde.net/science/chem/pics/bromine.html

[jdurg]

Yeah, elemental bromine smells like a skunk that took a bath in a bottle of bleach. Really putrid and nasty smelling. The other big reason for using bromine products is that they are a very slow-release product and the active component is virtually odorless. The problem with bromine-based cleaning agents is that it doesn't last all too long so you have to constantly replenish your supply. But a spa/pool cleaned with bromine products will have no odor to it. Quite the contrary for chlorine based cleaners.