BromoQuel®: A safety solution that simplifies bromine leakage incident treatment

Traditional bromine leak response is effective but complex, time-consuming, and hazardous to first responders. It requires multiple well-trained personnel working simultaneously to address both the liquid and gas phases of a spill — each with a different chemical agent. Current bromine safety protocols demand close proximity to the hazard, specialized PPE, and parallel treatment with separate agents for each phase.

The liquid bromine phase is typically treated with slaked lime Ca(OH)₂ and water, while the gaseous phase is suppressed using ammonia — a substance that itself introduces secondary environmental pollution risk. Responders must approach the leak source in full personal protective equipment (PPE), including chemical-grade protection suits, masks, and self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). Reaching the source quickly is often difficult, particularly in confined industrial environments or during marine transport incidents.

The result: valuable time is lost, responders are exposed to unnecessary risk, and the complexity of the response leaves room for human error. ICL’s R&D team — working with real emergency protocols at its own facilities — identified these gaps and set out to design a solution that would work within existing infrastructure while dramatically improving first-response outcomes.

BromoQuel® is a first-of-its-kind patented bromine neutralization system, launched in 2022 and developed by ICL’s Industrial Products R&D team in Beer Sheva, Israel, in collaboration with its Safety, Planning and Control Center in Neot Hovav. It is currently distributed to chemical plants, laboratories, storage facilities, and land and marine transportation companies worldwide.

The system’s main component is an extinguisher loaded with a custom-formulated bromine complexing agent solution developed exclusively by ICL. This agent is capable of treating both the liquid and gas phases of a bromine spill simultaneously — with a single device and a single operator. ICL’s deep expertise in bromine chemistry — as the world’s largest producer of elemental bromine from the Dead Sea — is also reflected across its broader portfolio of Dead Sea magnesium and bromine minerals for industrial and consumer applications.

BromoQuel® does not replace the traditional emergency response. Rather, it provides a faster, safer initial intervention that precedes it — buying time for full emergency protocols to be deployed and reducing exposure risk for all personnel involved.

BromoQuel® neutralizes bromine by complexing free bromine molecules into a stable, low-vapor-pressure salt that can be safely collected. The entire process — from spray to solidification — takes minutes and requires no specialized training beyond basic extinguisher operation.

Step 1 — Spray from a Safe Distance

The responder stands 10 to 20 meters from the bromine leak source and directs the extinguisher nozzle toward the leak. No special skills or proximity to the hazard zone are required. This alone represents a fundamental improvement over traditional methods, which demand close contact with the spill.

Step 2 — Complexation and Solidification

Within minutes of application, the bromine complexing agent reacts with free bromine — in both liquid and gas phases — to form a stable bromine-containing salt. Critically, this complex salt does not exhibit high vapor pressure, meaning the immediate hazard of bromine evaporation is eliminated. The material transitions from a volatile, toxic liquid to a manageable solid.

Step 3 — Collection, Storage, and Recycling

Once solidified, the complexed bromine can be cleared from the incident area efficiently, stored in an appropriate containment facility, and ultimately recycled. This end-to-end approach — from spill to safe disposal — reflects ICL’s commitment to both worker safety and environmental sustainability. ICL produces elemental bromine from the Dead Sea using a natural solar evaporation process — the same mineral expertise that underpins BromoQuel®’s chemistry.

The table below compares BromoQuel® against the conventional bromine emergency response protocol across the dimensions that matter most to safety managers and facility operators.

BromoQuel® delivers measurable improvements across the three dimensions industrial safety managers care about most: personnel safety, operational simplicity, and environmental compliance.

From a personnel safety standpoint, the ability to operate from 10–20 meters eliminates close-proximity exposure during the critical first minutes of a bromine incident — precisely the window when the risk of harmful vapor inhalation is highest. The OSHA IDLH for bromine is 3 ppm; the ability to maintain safe distance while executing a meaningful first response is a direct, quantifiable safety improvement.

Operationally, BromoQuel® integrates seamlessly into existing on-site infrastructure. The extinguisher form factor means facilities do not need to procure new equipment or retrain entire teams. ICL itself integrated BromoQuel® into its own emergency response protocols following successful pilot testing across multiple sites — a direct demonstration of confidence in the product’s real-world effectiveness.

On the environmental side, the complexing mechanism ensures that bromine does not penetrate soil or escape into the atmosphere as vapor. The solidified material is contained, storable, and recyclable — aligning with global sustainability frameworks and reducing the regulatory and cleanup burden that follows an uncontrolled bromine release.

BromoQuel® is designed for any facility that handles, stores, or transports elemental bromine. This includes chemical manufacturing plants, pharmaceutical research and production facilities, industrial laboratories, bromine storage depots, and land or marine transport operators.

Because BromoQuel® requires no special skills beyond standard extinguisher operation, it is suitable for deployment by any trained facility personnel — not only specialized hazmat teams. This broadens the first-response capability of the entire workforce and reduces response time in the critical first minutes of a leak incident.

Facilities operating in jurisdictions with stringent chemical safety regulations — including OSHA (United States), REACH (European Union), and equivalent national frameworks — will find that BromoQuel® supports compliance by providing a documented, structured first-response protocol that reduces the severity and duration of exposure incidents.

Bromine leakages represent an environmental hazard on two fronts: atmospheric bromine vapor contributes to air quality degradation, and liquid bromine that penetrates soil or waterways poses a serious contamination risk. BromoQuel® was designed with both of these vectors explicitly in mind.

The complexing agent captures maximum amounts of bromine in both phases, preventing vapor release and soil penetration. The resulting solid can be transferred to a certified containment facility and ultimately recycled — transforming a hazardous waste stream into a recoverable material. This sustainability-first design philosophy is consistent with ICL’s broader environmental commitments as a global specialty minerals company.

BromoQuel® is available for distribution globally to qualified facilities. To learn more about the product specifications, download the product brochure, or request a consultation with ICL’s bromine safety team, visit the BromoQuel® product page. ICL’s industrial safety specialists can assist with integration into your existing emergency response protocols and provide guidance on regulatory compliance for your jurisdiction.

Whether you operate a chemical plant, a pharmaceutical facility, or manage bromine logistics, BromoQuel® offers a proven, patented first-response capability that protects people, facilities, and the environment — without requiring a complete overhaul of your current emergency protocols. Contact ICL Industrial Products today to bring bromine safety to the next level.