What is Bromine for pools?

Although not as common as chlorine, bromine is also used as a sanitizing agent for indoor pools and spas.  When bromine is added to pool water, hypobromous acid is created, which in turn becomes the main sanitizing power behind bromine.

Bromine reacts with the water chemically similar to how chlorine reacts with water, changing into an acid and oxidizing microorganisms present in the pool.

The sanitizing capability of the hypobromous acid is eventually depleted, leaving a concentration of bromide ions in the pool water that no longer have any sanitizing capability.  This store of bromide ions can be restored to hypobromous acid by the addition of chlorine, potassium monopersulfate (non-chlorine shock), or with the addition of an ozone generator.

Sources:

• “Pool & Spa Water Chemistry, A Testing and Treatment Guide, Waterproof Edition, 2005. Taylor”
• “Wikipedia: Hypobromous Acid”, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypobromous_acid

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