An organic compound which is white crystalline solid even at temperature is known as phenol carbolic acid. Phenol carbolic acid is considered to be mild acid but requires being careful when handling its toxicity and also its propensity which can also severe burns. The word phenol is referred as any compound which contains a six member aromatic ring which bond into a hydroxyl group as these phenols are also termed as a class of organic compounds and also is soluble in water. Phenol is very commonly used in converting plastics related materials as it is considered to be versatile precursor to a large collection of drugs very commonly known as aspirin but also herbicides and is very much used in pharmaceuticals.Phenol is used as one of the chemicals for embalming bodies for studies and also used in the preparation of cosmetics which also includes sunscreens, hair dyes and skin lightening preparations. Phenol is used with chloroform which thus dissolves proteins and cellular debris when purifying nucleic acids but very widely used in antiseptic especially as carbolic soap. The phenol and vapors can be corrosive to eyes, to skin as well as to the respiratory tract and also repeated or prolonged skin contact with phenol may cause dermatitis which could be very harmful.
In simple language phenol is considered to be the product of distillation of coal tar as it is obtained by the distillation of other organic substance which is finally made artificially. Crude phenol is an imperfectly purified article which results in two distillations which is cheap. Phenol is a concentrated form and it is severe caustic as it is applied locally is known as antiseptic, irritant and anesthetics as it is freely soluble in glycerin, alcohol and ester and sometimes acquires reddish color on an exposure which also has some minute quantities of metal, probably copper which is contained in traces of the tar products which are present.
