Phenol

Phenol is an organic compound consisting of a benzene ring with one attached hydroxy group, an oxygen atom joined to a hydrogen atom. Its chemical formula is C6H6O. It is the parent compound of the broader class called phenols, so the name of this particular molecule should be distinguished from the name of the whole chemical family .¹

Phenol is manufactured for uses such as making plastics, but it also has natural sources. In biological settings, certain intestinal bacteria can produce it by metabolizing tyrosine and related compounds. It is a product of this microbial metabolism, rather than intact protein .^2,3

The body transforms absorbed phenol into other compounds called metabolites, most of which leave in urine within a few days. Phenol can normally be detected in human urine. Its presence alone therefore does not establish an unusual exposure, and a measurement cannot by itself predict resulting health effects. Interpretation depends on the amount and the context of exposure .²