bromine (Br) /brō″mēn/ , a corrosive, toxic red-brown liquid element of the halogen group. Its atomic number is 35; its atomic mass is 79.904. It exists naturally as a diatomic molecule, Br2. Bromine is used in industry, in photography, in the manufacture of organic chemicals and fuels, and in medications. Bromine gives off a red vapor that is extremely irritating to the eyes and the respiratory tract. Liquid bromine causes serious skin burns. Compounds of bromine have been used as sedatives, hypnotics, and analgesics and are still used in some nonprescription, over-the-counter preparations. Prolonged use of these products may cause brominism, a toxic condition characterized by acneiform eruptions, headache, loss of libido, drowsiness, and fatigue. See also bromide.
