[Aqueous chloride and bromine solutions as disinfectants: composition, redox potential, differences of reactivity (author's transl)].

A method is given to calculate the equilibrium concentrations of the molecules and ions emerging from the hydrolysis and dissociation of chlorine and bromine in aqueous soltuion. The differing influence the pH value and the initial (total) halogene concentration exerts to the HOX- and X2-equilibrium concentration is discussed. From the calculated equilibrium concentrations and tabulated standard reduction potentials the redox potentials of chlorine and bromine solutions at various pH values are calculated. No correlation between the reactivity and the redox potential of the two halogens was observed. Two possible explanations for the differing reactivity of chlorine and bromine against proteins are presented.