Analysis

A sensitive test for bromine is the reaction with fluorescein to give a deep red color caused by bromination of the organic molecule, or by its reaction with fuchsine dyes in the presence of sulfurous acid, to give a deep blue color. A more common test involves heating the sample with dilute sulfuric acid in the presence of potassium dichromate; the bromine is then extracted with chloroform, and, upon addition of potassium iodide, the pink color of iodine appears. The presence of bromine may also be recognized by the evolution of hydrogen bromide containing some brown bromine vapor when a solid sample is treated with concentrated sulfuric acid. Alternatively, chlorine may be added to an aqueous solution of a sample containing bromide, causing development of a brown color (free bromine).

For the quantitative determination of bromine, the following methods are recommended:

1. Free bromine is titrated with sodium thiosulfate in the presence of potassium iodide:

   

2. Bromides may be determined either gravimetrically (by weight analysis) or by titration with silver nitrate:

   

3. In the presence of chloride and iodide, the potentiometric method may be used (as with chlorine).

4. In the absence of iodide, bromide may be oxidized to bromine, which is then determined in the distillate. Alternatively, bromide may be oxidized to bromate by hypochlorous acid. The excess of the oxidizing agent is destroyed by sodium formate, and iodine is liberated by addition of potassium iodide and acid, with the free iodine being titrated by thiosulfate.

5. For the determination of bromine in an organic compound, the latter is oxidized by nitric acid, and the bromine is determined as silver bromide.