Help!!Economic impact for phenol?

Question

How does its prodcution and use have an impact in our standard of living and on the environment for phenol??anyone knows??if so , please help.....i cant really find any info abt tat....thank you very very much..!!hope wont take too long..

Answer 1

Phenol can be made from the partial oxidation of benzene or benzoic acid, by the cumene process, or by the Raschig process. It can also be found as a product of coal oxidation.

Phenol has antiseptic properties, and was used by Sir Joseph Lister in his pioneering technique of antiseptic surgery, though the skin irritation caused by continual exposure to phenol eventually led to the substitution of aseptic (germ-free) techniques in surgery. It is one of the main components of the commercial antiseptic TCP (trichlorophenol). It is also the active ingredient in some oral anesthetics such as Chloraseptic spray.

It is also used in the production of drugs (it is the starting material in the industrial production of aspirin), weedkiller, and synthetic resins (Bakelite, one of the first synthetic resins to be manufactured, is a polymer of phenol with formaldehyde). Exposure of the skin to concentrated phenol solutions causes chemical burns which may be severe; in laboratories where it is used, it is usually recommended that polyethylene glycol solution is kept available for washing off splashes. Washing with large amounts of plain water (most labs have a safety shower or eye-wash) and removal of contaminated clothing are required, and immediate ER treatment for large splashes; particularly if the phenol is mixed with chloroform (a commonly used mixture in molecular biology for DNA purification). Notwithstanding the effects of concentrated solutions, it is also used in cosmetic surgery as an exfoliant, to remove layers of dead skin. It is also used in phenolization, a surgical procedure used to treat an ingrown nail, in which it is applied to the toe to prevent regrowth of nails.

Injections of phenol have occasionally been used as a means of rapid execution. In particular, phenol was used as a means of extermination by the Nazis during the Second World War. Phenol injections were given to thousands of people in concentration camps, especially at Auschwitz-Birkenau. Injections were administered either by medical doctors or by their assistants; such injections were originally given intravenously, more commonly in the arm, but injection directly into the heart, so as to induce nearly instant death, was later preferred.

Phenolic compounds
Phenol - the parent compound, used as an disinfectant and for chemical synthesis
BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) - a fat-soluble antioxidant and food additive
Bisphenol A and other bisphenols produced from ketones and phenol / cresol
Capsaicin - the pungent compound of chilli peppers
Chavibetol - from betel, used as a flavouring
Cresols - found in coal tar and creosote
Estradiol / estrogen - hormones
Eugenol - the main constituent of the essential oil of clove
Gallic acid - found in gallnuts
Guaiacol (2-methoxyphenol) - has a smokey flavor, and is found in roasted coffee, whisky, and smoke
4-Nonylphenol - a breakdown product of detergents and nonoxynol-9
Orthophenyl phenol - a fungicide used for waxing citrus fruits
Picric acid (trinitrophenol) - an explosive material
Phenolphthalein / phenol red / bromothymol blue / thymolphthalein / bromophenol blue - pH indicators
Polyphenols - e.g. flavonoids and tannins
Raspberry ketone - a compound with an intense raspberry smell
Serotonin / dopamine / adrenaline / noradrenaline - natural neurotransmitters
Thymol (2-Isopropyl-5-methyl phenol) - an antiseptic that is used in mouthwashes
Tyrosine - an amino acid
Xylenols

Phenol Information
Introduction


Phenols are chemicals FOUND IN BASICALLY ALL FOODS. The "phenol" category contains quite a few subgroups, both food and non-food. For example, salicylate is a subgroup of phenol. There are other chemicals found in foods that can cause similar symptoms as phenols, including amines, even tho they are not technically "phenol".

For some children, their bodies have difficulty processing the phenols into useful or at least non-harmful substances. This condition is called PST deficiency. So you need to reduce your child’s phenol intake, or help his body process them. Otherwise they build up to levels which can affect his behavior and physical condition.

Here are the Feingold definitions of phenols and salicylates. Phenols -- "A group of natural and synthetic compounds that are ingested or produced to varying degrees by the body or by microbes in the intestine contain a benzene ring with one or more hydroxyl (OH) groups attached to it. When this attachment occurs, they become phenolic compounds. These compounds possess unique chemical properties. They are very soluble both in organic solvents (like alcohol, ether, and the fatty components of the body) and in water (aqueous solution), where they are strongly acidic. They exert toxic effects in the brain, where normally certain enzymes prevent their accumulation." Salicylates -- "Salicylate is a natural chemical made by many plants. It is chemically related to aspirin, which is a derivative of salicylic acid. It is believed the plant uses it as protection from insects. Although natural salicylates are found in wholesome foods, some individuals have difficulty tolerating even small amounts of them. The reaction to a natural salicylate can be as severe as that to synthetic additives if a person is highly sensitive. Some people are troubled by only one or two, while others are sensitive to all of them."