DBDMH (also known as 1,3-Dibromo-5,5-Dimethylhydantoin) is an organic compound derived from the heterocycle called dimethyl

hydantoin Hydantoin, or glycolylurea, is a heterocyclic organic compound with the formula CH2C(O)NHC(O)NH. It is a colorless solid that arises from the reaction of glycolic acid and urea. It is an oxidized derivative of imidazolidine. In a more general sen ...

. This white crystalline compound with a slight

bromine Bromine is a chemical element with the symbol Br and atomic number 35. It is the third-lightest element in group 17 of the periodic table (halogens) and is a volatile red-brown liquid at room temperature that evaporates readily to form a simila ...

odor is widely used as a

disinfectant A disinfectant is a chemical substance or compound used to inactivate or destroy microorganisms on inert surfaces. Disinfection does not necessarily kill all microorganisms, especially resistant bacterial spores; it is less effective than st ...

used for drinking water purification, recreational water treatment, as a bleaching agent in pulp and paper mills, and for treating industrial/commercial water cooling systems. David Ioffe, Arieh Kampf "Bromine, Organic Compounds" in ''Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology'', 2002, by John Wiley & Sons. {{doi, 10.1002/0471238961.0218151325150606.a01 Its action does not involve the use of hypochlorous acid.

Mechanism of action

1,3-Dibromo-5,5-Dimethylhydantoin is a source of bromine, which is equivalent to hypobromous acid (HOBr). :Br₂X + 2 H₂O → 2 HOBr + H₂X (Where H₂X is 5,5-dimethylhydantoin) With a p''K''_a of 8.6, hypobromous acid partially dissociates in water: :HOBr ⇌ H⁺ + BrO⁻ Hypobromous acid serves as a source of "Br⁺," which produces bromide ions in the process of disinfection: :HOBr + live pathogens → Br⁻ + dead pathogens The resulting bromide ions can then undergo oxidation to hypobromous acid in the presence of an oxidizer of sufficient strength e.g.

ozone Ozone (), or trioxygen, is an inorganic molecule with the chemical formula . It is a pale blue gas with a distinctively pungent smell. It is an allotrope of oxygen that is much less stable than the diatomic allotrope , breaking down in the lo ...

, hypochlorous acid, potassium mono

persulfate A persulfate (sometimes known as peroxysulfate or peroxodisulfate) is a compound containing the anions or . The anion contains one peroxide group per sulfur center, whereas in , the peroxide group bridges the sulfur atoms. In both cases, sulfu ...

. This reoxidation process is commonly called "activation" of the bromide ion: :Br⁻ + HOCl → HOBr + Cl⁻

References

External links

MSDS
Disinfectants Organobromides Hydantoins