OTHER PRODUCTS

Phenol is both a manufactured chemical and a natural substance. It is a colorless to white solid when pure. The commercial product is liquid. Phenol has a distinct odor that is uncomfortably sweet and tar-like. You can taste and smell phenol at lower levels than those associated with harmful effects. Phenol evaporates more slowly than water and can form a solution with moderate amounts of water. Phenol can catch fire. Phenol is mainly used in the production of phenolic resins and in the manufacture of nylon and other synthetic fibers. It is also used in slugs (chemicals that kill bacteria and fungi in slime), as a disinfectant and antiseptic, and in medicinal preparations such as mouthwash and throat lozenges.