Page "Bromine" Paragraph 18

Bromine has no known essential role in human or mammalian health, but inorganic bromine and organobromine compounds do occur naturally, and some may be of use to higher organisms in dealing with parasites.

For example, in the presence of H < sub > 2 </ sub > O < sub > 2 </ sub > formed by the eosinophil, and either chloride or bromide ions, eosinophil peroxidase provides a potent mechanism by which eosinophils kill multicellular parasites ( such as, for example, the nematode worms involved in filariasis ); and also certain bacteria ( such as tuberculosis bacteria ).

Eosinophil peroxidase is a haloperoxidase that preferentially uses bromide over chloride for this purpose, generating hypobromite ( hypobromous acid ).