2-Phenylphenol
Encyclopedia
2-Phenylphenol, or o-phenylphenol, is an organic compound
that consists of two linked benzene
rings and a phenol
ic hydroxyl group. It is a white or buff-colored, flaky crystalline solid with a melting point of about 57 °C. It is a biocide
used as a preservative
under the trade names Dowicide, Torsite, Preventol, Nipacide and many others.
used for waxing citrus fruits. As a food additive
, it has E number
E231.
It is also used for disinfection of seed boxes. It is a general surface disinfectant, used in households, hospitals, nursing homes, farms, laundries, barber shops, and food processing plants. It can be used on fibers and other materials. It is used to disinfect hospital and veterinary equipment. Other uses are in rubber industry and as a laboratory reagent. It is also used in the manufacture of other fungicides, dye stuffs, resins and rubber chemicals.
2-Phenylphenol is found in low concentrations in some household products such as spray disinfectants and aerosol or spray underarm deodorants.
Eye contact can cause severe irritation and burns with possible eye damage. For some individuals, 2-phenylphenol can also irritate the skin. It is one of the chemicals that the Hyperactive Children's Support Group recommends be eliminated from the diet of children.
The sodium salt of orthophenyl phenol, sodium orthophenyl phenol
, is a preservative
, used to treat the surface of citrus
fruit
s to prolong shelf life
. As a food additive
, it has the E number
E232.
Organic compound
An organic compound is any member of a large class of gaseous, liquid, or solid chemical compounds whose molecules contain carbon. For historical reasons discussed below, a few types of carbon-containing compounds such as carbides, carbonates, simple oxides of carbon, and cyanides, as well as the...
that consists of two linked benzene
Benzene
Benzene is an organic chemical compound. It is composed of 6 carbon atoms in a ring, with 1 hydrogen atom attached to each carbon atom, with the molecular formula C6H6....
rings and a phenol
Phenol
Phenol, also known as carbolic acid, phenic acid, is an organic compound with the chemical formula C6H5OH. It is a white crystalline solid. The molecule consists of a phenyl , bonded to a hydroxyl group. It is produced on a large scale as a precursor to many materials and useful compounds...
ic hydroxyl group. It is a white or buff-colored, flaky crystalline solid with a melting point of about 57 °C. It is a biocide
Biocide
A biocide is a chemical substance or microorganism which can deter, render harmless, or exert a controlling effect on any harmful organism by chemical or biological means. Biocides are commonly used in medicine, agriculture, forestry, and industry...
used as a preservative
Preservative
A preservative is a naturally occurring or synthetically produced substance that is added to products such as foods, pharmaceuticals, paints, biological samples, wood, etc. to prevent decomposition by microbial growth or by undesirable chemical changes....
under the trade names Dowicide, Torsite, Preventol, Nipacide and many others.
Uses
The primary use of 2-phenylphenol is as an agricultural fungicide. It is generally applied post-harvest. It is a fungicideFungicide
Fungicides are chemical compounds or biological organisms used to kill or inhibit fungi or fungal spores. Fungi can cause serious damage in agriculture, resulting in critical losses of yield, quality and profit. Fungicides are used both in agriculture and to fight fungal infections in animals...
used for waxing citrus fruits. As a food additive
Food additive
Food additives are substances added to food to preserve flavor or enhance its taste and appearance.Some additives have been used for centuries; for example, preserving food by pickling , salting, as with bacon, preserving sweets or using sulfur dioxide as in some wines...
, it has E number
E number
E numbers are number codes for food additives that have been assessed for use within the European Union . They are commonly found on food labels throughout the European Union. Safety assessment and approval are the responsibility of the European Food Safety Authority...
E231.
It is also used for disinfection of seed boxes. It is a general surface disinfectant, used in households, hospitals, nursing homes, farms, laundries, barber shops, and food processing plants. It can be used on fibers and other materials. It is used to disinfect hospital and veterinary equipment. Other uses are in rubber industry and as a laboratory reagent. It is also used in the manufacture of other fungicides, dye stuffs, resins and rubber chemicals.
2-Phenylphenol is found in low concentrations in some household products such as spray disinfectants and aerosol or spray underarm deodorants.
Eye contact can cause severe irritation and burns with possible eye damage. For some individuals, 2-phenylphenol can also irritate the skin. It is one of the chemicals that the Hyperactive Children's Support Group recommends be eliminated from the diet of children.
The sodium salt of orthophenyl phenol, sodium orthophenyl phenol
Sodium orthophenyl phenol
Sodium orthophenyl phenol is a compound used as a disinfectant. It is the sodium salt of 2-phenylphenol.As a food additive, it has E number E232....
, is a preservative
Preservative
A preservative is a naturally occurring or synthetically produced substance that is added to products such as foods, pharmaceuticals, paints, biological samples, wood, etc. to prevent decomposition by microbial growth or by undesirable chemical changes....
, used to treat the surface of citrus
Citrus
Citrus is a common term and genus of flowering plants in the rue family, Rutaceae. Citrus is believed to have originated in the part of Southeast Asia bordered by Northeastern India, Myanmar and the Yunnan province of China...
fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
s to prolong shelf life
Shelf life
Shelf life is the length of time that food, drink, medicine, chemicals, and many other perishable items are given before they are considered unsuitable for sale, use, or consumption...
. As a food additive
Food additive
Food additives are substances added to food to preserve flavor or enhance its taste and appearance.Some additives have been used for centuries; for example, preserving food by pickling , salting, as with bacon, preserving sweets or using sulfur dioxide as in some wines...
, it has the E number
E number
E numbers are number codes for food additives that have been assessed for use within the European Union . They are commonly found on food labels throughout the European Union. Safety assessment and approval are the responsibility of the European Food Safety Authority...
E232.