If it is a process water and ...
Published by Don Sharpe
If it is a process water and not drinking water, why is bromate a particular problem? Process waters may contain bromate without being a particular problem unless they come into contact with food. It is difficult to oxidise hypobromous acid to make it bromate because bromate is a higher oxidation state. Hypochlorite may contain low levels of hypobromous acid but it is rare for it to break down and generate bromate. The normal breakdown products of hypochlorite, when it breaks down on storage, are oxygen and sodium chloride.
1 Comment
No. Hypochlorite solution does not produce bromate. The bromate is there from the chloride electrolysis process if there is some bromide present, which there always is. The disproportionation process in hypochlorite produces chlorate and perchlorate. Chloride is the oxidation/reduction product.
Published by Joseph Cotruvo, President at Joseph Cotruvo & Associates, Water , Environment and Public Health
1 Comment
The point is the level. The proportion of bromate is low compared to the level of hypochlorite. The level of chlorate and perchlorate is also low compared to the level of sodium chloride, which occurs while the hypochlorite is stored over a period of weeks. The measurable level of chloride increases.
Published by Don Sharpe