Document Type
Thesis
Date of Award
1978
Abstract
Phenol. Phenol was discovered in 1834 as a byproduct of the coal gas industry and was first used to deodorize the sewers in England. Subsequently, in 1867, Joseph Lister introduced antiseptic surgery by using 5% phenol to disinfect operating room facilities and wounds (6, 25). Lister’s procedure was successful because 5% phenol causes disruption of the bacterial cell wall and precipitation of proteins. Even lower phenol concentrations can be lethal to bacteria by causing damage to the permeability barrier in the cell wall. A 1% solution has been shown to cause leakage of glutamic acid from Streptococcus faecalis. At lower concentrations (0.15%) the lethal effect is considered to be due to inactivation of essential enzyme systems (43).
Recommended Citation
Rice, Louise Snowden, "The Microbial Ecology of Phenol Degradation in Activated Sludge." (1978). All ETDs from UAB. 7157.
https://digitalcommons.library.uab.edu/etd-collection/7157
Comments
MS - Master of Science/Master of Surgery; ProQuest publication number 31752077