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Chlorobromination - BIOBROM- Q Chlorobromination Chlorobromination is similar to chlorination with sodium or calcium hypochlorite except that sodium bromide is also added to the water. Bromine chloride has been shown to be more effective as a disinfectant than chlorine in field trials. It is a heavy red liquid and 12 times more soluble in water than chlorine. Its vapor pressure is one-third as great. In chlorination systems the hypochlorite ion reacts with water to form hypochlorous acid, the main form of disinfectant. In chlorobromination systems, hypochlorous acid reacts with the added bromide to form hypobromous acid, a useful disinfectant which is more stable than hypochlorous acid at higher pH. Chlorobromination is therefore recommended for the disinfection of water with pH values above 7. NaOC1+ NaBr -->NaOBr + NaC1
Levels of total chlorine/bromine in water which are safe for plants will vary between species and stage of growth. However, it is advisable to ensure that total chlorine/bromine in water is below 1 ppm prior to irrigation to avoid possible phytotoxic effects Bromine chloride completely hydrolyzes almost immediately to hypobromous acid and reacts with ammonia in sewage to formbromoamines. It is believed that chlorobromination is the best alternative to current chlorination practices. |
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The
cost of chlorobromination dosing systems vary but basic dosing pumps and
materials cost less than $2,000. Chlorine and bromine levels are easily
monitored using various DPD reagent kits. Most are inexpensive as similar kits
are used for domestic swimming pools. DPD tests do not distinguish between the
two acids so a reading denotes the combined concentration of the two acids.
