Bromine has been around for a while, first discovered in 1826 and used in the commercial swimming pool market for years now, mainly in spas. I will tell you why it has found a use here a little later in the blog. It, along with Chlorine is the only approved disinfectant for commercial pools in the USA.
It is more expensive than chlorine, so why is it used in spas……?
If you have spent a little time in a commercial spa and noticed a particularly unattractive powerful smell, then they are probably using bromine to sanitize the water…the name “Bromine” comes from the Greek work Bromos which means “stench”.
Well, the reason it would be preferred in spas is primarily that it does not break down in hot water as quickly as chlorine, and when it forms into Bromamides it, unlike Chloramines, will continue to function as a disinfectant.
As we know in the industry, Chloramines or bromamides are more likely to form in spas than pools due to the higher water temperature and the heavier ration of bodies to gallons of water Another reason it is preferred by spa operators is that most health Inspectors do not test for Bromamides so it allows for a lot more leeway than using chlorine in spas.
The most effective way to reduce or remove these Chloramines or bromamides is to install a commercial chlorine generator and Low-Pressure UV system. This combination eliminates their formation but breaking the chemical bond between the halogen and the ammonia (sweat, urine etc.) as the water passes through the UV chamber first and then the chlorine generator cell chamber second.