Bromodichloromethane is a trihalomethane with

formula In science, a formula is a concise way of expressing information symbolically, as in a mathematical formula or a ''chemical formula''. The informal use of the term ''formula'' in science refers to the general construct of a relationship betwe ...

. It is a colorless, nonflammable liquid which will dissolve in water, or evaporate in air. Most of the chemical is produced through the chlorine disinfection process, and as a result it can occur in municipally-treated drinking water. It is also produced in small quantities by algae in the oceans. According to the CDC, levels normal in drinking water are not known to cause health problems, but it has been classified by the US EPA as a probable human carcinogen. Bromodichloromethane has formerly been used as a

flame retardant Flame retardants are a diverse group of chemicals that are added to manufactured materials, such as plastics and textiles, and surface finishes and coatings. Flame retardants are activated by the presence of an combustion, ignition source and pr ...

, and a

solvent A solvent (from the Latin language, Latin ''wikt:solvo#Latin, solvō'', "loosen, untie, solve") is a substance that dissolves a solute, resulting in a Solution (chemistry), solution. A solvent is usually a liquid but can also be a solid, a gas ...

for

fat In nutrition science, nutrition, biology, and chemistry, fat usually means any ester of fatty acids, or a mixture of such chemical compound, compounds, most commonly those that occur in living beings or in food. The term often refers specif ...

s and

waxes Waxes are a diverse class of organic compounds that are lipophilic, malleable solids near ambient temperatures. They include higher alkanes and lipids, typically with melting points above about 40 °C (104 °F), melting to give low ...

and because of its high

density Density (volumetric mass density or specific mass) is the ratio of a substance's mass to its volume. The symbol most often used for density is ''ρ'' (the lower case Greek letter rho), although the Latin letter ''D'' (or ''d'') can also be u ...

for mineral separation. Now it is only used as a

reagent In chemistry, a reagent ( ) or analytical reagent is a substance or compound added to a system to cause a chemical reaction, or test if one occurs. The terms ''reactant'' and ''reagent'' are often used interchangeably, but reactant specifies a ...

or intermediate in

organic chemistry Organic chemistry is a subdiscipline within chemistry involving the science, scientific study of the structure, properties, and reactions of organic compounds and organic matter, organic materials, i.e., matter in its various forms that contain ...

. In the US it is only produced in small quantities, which are used for these chemical reasons. For example, it can be used to produce phenyl(bromodichloromethyl)mercury, which is widely used in the production of

dichlorocarbene Dichlorocarbene is the reactive intermediate with chemical formula CCl2. Although this chemical species has not been isolated, it is a common intermediate in organic chemistry, being generated from chloroform. This bent diamagnetic molecule rapi ...

. It can be prepared by treating a mixture of

chloroform Chloroform, or trichloromethane (often abbreviated as TCM), is an organochloride with the formula and a common solvent. It is a volatile, colorless, sweet-smelling, dense liquid produced on a large scale as a precursor to refrigerants and po ...

and bromoform with triethyl-benzylammonium chloride and

sodium hydroxide Sodium hydroxide, also known as lye and caustic soda, is an inorganic compound with the formula . It is a white solid ionic compound consisting of sodium cations and hydroxide anions . Sodium hydroxide is a highly corrosive base (chemistry), ...

Toxicity

According to the CDC, , levels that it is normal to be exposed to in drinking water are lower than levels known to cause health problems. A small number of studies have examined the effects of low levels of bromodichloromethane on people, but most were also exposed to other chemicals, so it may not be the only cause of reported health problems. Studies in animals with much higher levels of the chemical than what humans are normally exposed to have resulted in health problems. The effects of the chemical on children are unknown but expected to be the same as on adults. No standards regulating its presence in drinking water currently exist in the United States, though a limit of 80 ppb exists for the total amount of trihalomethanes in general. The Environmental Working Group claims that bromodichloromethane can increase cancer risks and cause harm to reproduction, child development, and fetal growth and development in when present in quantities higher than 0.06 parts per billion (ppb). This data largely comes from studies reviewed or conducted by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment. , the chemical is considered by the US Department of Health and Human Services to be reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen, and by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to be a probable human carcinogen.

Notes

External links

*
Bromodichloromethane at The Carcinogenic Potency Database

Toxicological Profile at ATSDR
{{Halomethanes Bromochloroalkanes Halomethanes IARC Group 2B carcinogens