Benefits and risks of halogens

Benefits:

• Used to make plastics, e.g. PTFE
• Added to toothpaste to strength tooth enamel
• Used to make HCFCs (hydrochloroflurocarbons)

Risks:

• Fluorine is highly reactive
• Handling of fluorine must be kept to a minimum

Benefits:

• Important intermediate in the manufacture of hydrochloric acid and chlorinated solvents
• Used to make plastics, e.g. PVC and polyurethanes
• Used in water treatment
• Used to make pesticides, medicines and bleach

Risks:

• Pesticides can accumulate in the environment
• CFCs destroy ozone in the stratosphere

Benefits:

• Used to make flame retardants
• Used to make agricultural fumigants
• Used in photography (not as widely used nowadays)

Risks:

• Oragnic bromine compounds can destroy ozone in the stratosphere

Benefits:

• Used in antiseptics
• Used in germicides
• Used in dyes
• Iodine-131 is used to diagnose thyroid disease