What is methyl bromide?
The chemical compound bromomethane, commonly known as methyl bromide, is an organic halogen compound with formula CH3Br. It is a colorless, nonflammable gas with no distinctive smell. Its chemical properties are quite similar to those of chloromethane. It is a recognized ozone-depleting chemical. It was used extensively as a pesticide until recently and there is now an effort to phase it out by all European countries within 2008. Trade names for bromomethane include Embafume and Terabol. Bromomethane originates from both natural and human sources. It occurs naturally in the ocean, where it is found in some species of kelp.[citation needed] It is also produced in small quantities by certain terrestrial plants, such as members of the Brassicaceae family. It is manufactured for agricultural and industrial use by reacting methanol with hydrobromic acid. Until its production and use was curtailed by the Montreal Protocol, it was widely used as a soil sterilant, mainly for production of seed
