Pentachlorophenol (PCP) is a chemical used as a wood preservative, insecticide, herbicide, and disinfectant. Its sale is restricted in many countries due to toxicity concerns. PCP is made by adding chlorine to phenol with a catalyst. Wood can be treated with PCP through pressure or pressureless methods. Exposure to PCP can cause damage to the central nervous system, organs, and increase the risk of cancer.
Pentachlorophenol is an organic chemical compound widely used in the wood industry. This chemical is also known as PCP but is different from PCP which is used as a recreational drug. The most common use of the chemical is as a wood preservative; however it has also been used historically as an insecticide, herbicide, and disinfectant. Due to concerns about the toxicity of pentachlorophenol, the sale of this chemical is restricted in many countries, including the United States and New Zealand. Both the production and use of the chemical are restricted in European Union countries. Some European countries have decided to ban it altogether.
PCP wood preservative is made by adding chlorine to a chemical precursor called phenol. This process requires the addition of a catalyst to increase the rate of reaction between chlorine and phenol. The added catalyst is anhydrous ferric chloride or aluminum. When the reaction is complete, the resulting chemical mixture is up to 90% pure, with the remaining 10% of the mixture being a range of other phenolic by-products.
One of two methods can be used to treat wood products with pentachlorophenol. The first method is called the pressure process method. In this process, wood products are immersed in a chemical bath and pressure is applied to saturate the wood with the preservative. The second method is called the pressureless process method and involves dipping or spraying the wood products with the chemical without applying pressure.
Exposure to pentachlorophenol is a problem in industrial settings where the chemical is manufactured or used. This is because acute or chronic inhalation of air contaminated with solvent fumes or contact with PCP-treated wood can be toxic. Additionally, exposure is a public health concern because groundwater, soil, and even drinking water that has been contaminated by the chemical can also become a source of toxicity. This type of toxicity is especially a risk in locations near industrial facilities where the chemical is used and near hazardous waste collection sites.
Symptoms of pentachlorophenol toxicity can vary depending on whether exposure to the chemical is chronic or acute. Short-term exposure to high concentrations of the chemical can damage the central nervous system, gastrointestinal tract, and organs such as the kidneys, liver, and lungs. Chemical vapor can seriously damage your eyes and mouth. Long-term low concentrations of the chemical also cause damage to the central nervous system, kidneys, and liver. Long-term exposure is also believed to increase the risk of some types of cancer.
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