| Chronologically Bromine was first isolated by Carl (Karl) Jacob Lowig, the Heidelberg University student (and, later, Heidelberg professor and Robert Wilhelm Bunsen& |
Bromine is never found in its elemental form naturally, but in compounds with other substances, known as bromides and which are used as the raw material to produce commercial brominated products.
Bromine crustal abundance is 1.6x10-4% by mass, the total quantity is estimated as 1015-1016 tons. Mostly Bromine occurred as bromide salts (NaBr, KBr, and Br2) in very diffuse amounts in magmatic rocks as a permanent satellite of chlorined salts with concentrations 0.03% Bromine in halite (rock salt NaCl), up to 0.3% Bromine in potassium salts, such as sylvite and carnallite. The most recoverable form of bromine is from soluble salts found in seawater, salt lakes, inland seas, and brine wells. Sea water contains bromine in about 65 part per million (ppm) but Bromine is found in much higher concentrations (2500 to 10000 ppm) in inland seas and brine wells. Bromine migrates in easily soluble forms, forming hard rocks such as bromyrite or bromargyrite is a natural mineral forms of silver bromide AgBr, embolite Ag (Cl, Br) and iodembolite Ag (Cl, Br, I). The minerals are formed in oxidizing zones of sulphide silver-bearing deposites in dry arid regions.
Bromine is abundant in nature as bromide salts or as organobromine compounds, which are produced by many types or marine organisms. There are 7x10-4% of bromine in terrestrial plants and 1x10-4% in animal organisms. Bromine is found in various secretion liquids, such as tears, saliva, perspiration, milk, bile). Healthy human organism contains from 0.11 to 2.00 mg% bromine. Radioactive 82Br helped to trace the limited Bromine absorption by thyroid, medulla and pituitary gland. Bromides injected into human or animals bodies strengthen inhibitory process in brain-cortex, normalize nervous system which has been harmed by inhibitory process overwork. Being kept in the thyroid bromine competes with iodine essentially influencing metabolism process. |