Consider the following statements about some halogen containing compounds.
(A) Halogenated compounds persist in the environment due to their resistance to breakdown by soil bacteria.
(B) The chlorine containing antibiotic chloramphenicol, produced by microorganisms, is very effective for the treatment of typhoid fever.
(C) Our body produces a bromine containing hormone, thyroxine, the deficiency of which causes a disease called goiter.
(D) Certain fully chlorinated compounds are being considered as potential blood substitutes in surgery.
Which of the statements given above are incorrect? Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → (C) and (D) only
Halogen compounds are found in nature, in medicines and in our own body. Each statement turns on which halogen is present or what the compound does.
(A) Halogenated compounds persist in the environment due to their resistance to breakdown by soil bacteria. — Correct statement. Soil bacteria do not break them down easily, so they stay in the environment for a long time.
(B) The chlorine containing antibiotic chloramphenicol, produced by microorganisms, is very effective for the treatment of typhoid fever. — Correct statement. Chloramphenicol is a natural chlorine containing antibiotic used against typhoid.
(C) Our body produces a bromine containing hormone, thyroxine, the deficiency of which causes a disease called goiter. — Incorrect statement. Thyroxine is an iodine containing hormone, not a bromine containing one. Its deficiency does cause goiter.
(D) Certain fully chlorinated compounds are being considered as potential blood substitutes in surgery. — Incorrect statement. The compounds being considered as blood substitutes are fully fluorinated compounds.
NCERT (2026-27 edition):
Unit 6 Haloalkanes and Haloarenes – “Halogenated compounds persist in the environment due to their resistance to breakdown by soil bacteria.”
“…Chlorine containing antibiotic, chloramphenicol, produced by microorganisms is very effective for the treatment of typhoid fever. Our body produces iodine containing hormone, thyroxine, the deficiency of which causes a disease called goiter. … Certain fully fluorinated compounds are being considered as potential blood substitutes in surgery.”