Phenol, or carbolic acid, is a chemical compound which, although it exists in nature, is primarily produced and used by large industry. Obtained from cumene, an aromatic hydrocarbon (paint solvent, fuels, etc.), it is most often used in the production of plastics. It is also involved in the manufacture of perfumes and pharmaceutical products. Absorbed, even through the skin, phenol is highly corrosive. A 1% solution is enough to cause severe irritation. In 2005, 8.8 million tonnes of phenol were produced worldwide, a quarter of which in the USA.
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