phenol
Meaning of phenol: Phenol is a caustic chemical compound used in industry and, in dilute form, in certain antiseptic and topical medical preparations.
Definition of phenol
Phenol, also known as carbolic acid, is a chemical compound derived originally from coal tar and also found naturally in some plants. In concentrated form it is highly corrosive and poisonous, capable of causing significant chemical burns and, with sufficient absorption, toxicity affecting the nervous system and other organs.
Industrially, phenol is used in manufacturing plastics, resins, and other chemical products. In much more dilute concentrations, it has a history of medical use as a disinfectant and antiseptic, and it appears in small amounts in certain topical preparations intended to relieve minor throat or skin irritation.
The same chemical can behave very differently depending on its concentration, since a dilute solution used safely in a topical product bears little resemblance, in terms of risk, to the concentrated industrial chemical, which requires careful handling to avoid serious burns or toxicity.
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Used in a sentence
The safety data sheet specified precautions for handling concentrated phenol in the laboratory.
Good to know
Phenol's safety profile depends heavily on concentration, since dilute phenol used in some topical products carries little resemblance in risk to the concentrated industrial chemical, which can cause serious chemical burns.