Methyl Bromide (CH3Br): a compound consisting of carbon, hydrogen, and bromine
Methyl Bromide's chemical formula is CH3BR. An effective pesticide, this compound is used to fumigate soil and many agricultural products. Because it contains bromine, it depletes stratospheric ozone and has an ozone depletion potential of 0.6. Production of methyl bromide will end in the U.S. on 12/31/2000.
Methyl Bromide - CH3Br, this halocarbon is released, to a degree, naturally from the oceans, but is more commonly released from its anthropogenic use as a soil fumigant or pesticide. Methyl bromide is persistent enough to reach the stratosphere where it photochemically decomposes to yield atomic bromine (radical) and proceeds to destroy stratospheric ozone in the same manner as the atomic chlorine radical. On an atom-for-atom basis, stratospheric bromine is more efficient at destroying ozone than is chlorine because the HBr reservoir species is more photochemically active than HCl; however, there is much less of hydrogen bromide in the stratosphere.
[Baird, Colin. Environmental Chemistry. (1999) W.H. Freeman, New York.]
Atmospheric Chemistry Glossary
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