I-Phenoliyinhlanganisela evamile ye-organic, eyaziwa nangokuthi i-carbolic acid.Iqinile ngekristalu engenambala noma emhlophe enephunga elinamandla elicasulayo.Isetshenziswa kakhulu ekukhiqizeni odayi, i-pigments, adhesives, plasticizers, lubricant, disinfectants, njll. Ngaphezu kwalokho, iphinde ibe umkhiqizo obalulekile ophakathi embonini yamakhemikhali.

Ekuqaleni kwekhulu lama-20, i-phenol yatholakala inobuthi obunamandla emzimbeni womuntu, futhi ukusetshenziswa kwayo ekukhiqizeni izibulala-magciwane neminye imikhiqizo kancane kancane kwathathelwa indawo ezinye izinto.Ngo-1930s, ukusetshenziswa kwe-phenol ezimonyoni nasezindlini zangasese kwavinjelwa ngenxa yobuthi bayo obukhulu kanye nephunga elicasulayo.Ngo-1970s, ukusetshenziswa kwe-phenol emisebenzini eminingi yezimboni nakho kwavinjelwa ngenxa yokungcoliswa kwemvelo okukhulu kanye nezingozi zempilo yabantu.

E-United States, ukusetshenziswa kwe-phenol embonini kulawulwa ngokuqinile kusukela ngawo-1970.I-US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) isungule uchungechunge lwemithetho neziqondiso ukuze kukhawulwe ukusetshenziswa kanye nokukhishwa kwe-phenol ukuze kuvikelwe impilo yabantu kanye nemvelo.Isibonelo, amazinga okukhishwa kwe-phenol emanzini angcolile achazwe ngokuqinile, futhi ukusetshenziswa kwe-phenol ezinqubweni zokukhiqiza kuvinjelwe.Ngaphezu kwalokho, i-FDA (Food and Drug Administration) iphinde yasungula uchungechunge lwemithethonqubo yokuqinisekisa ukuthi izithasiselo zokudla nezimonyo aziqukethe i-phenol noma okuphuma kuyo.

Ekuphetheni, nakuba i-phenol inezinhlobonhlobo zezicelo embonini nasekuphileni kwansuku zonke, ubuthi bayo kanye nephunga elicasulayo liye labangela ukulimala okukhulu empilweni yomuntu kanye nemvelo.Ngakho-ke, amazwe amaningi athathe izinyathelo zokukhawulela ukusetshenziswa nokukhipha kwayo.E-United States, nakuba ukusetshenziswa kwe-phenol embonini kuye kwalawulwa ngokuqinile, kusasetshenziswa kabanzi ezibhedlela nakwezinye izikhungo zezokwelapha njengesibulala-magciwane nesibulala-magciwane.Kodwa-ke, ngenxa yobuthi bayo obuphezulu kanye nezingozi zempilo ezingase zibe khona, kunconywa ukuthi abantu bagweme ukuthintana ne-phenol ngangokunokwenzeka.