pentachlorophenol

American  

[pen-tuh-klawr-uh-fee-nawl, -nol, -klohr-] / ˌpɛn təˌklɔr əˈfi nɔl, -nɒl, -ˌkloʊr- /

noun

Chemistry.

1. a white, crystalline, water-insoluble powder, C 6 Cl 5 OH, used chiefly in fungicides, disinfectants, and wood preservatives.

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pentachlorophenol British  

/ ˌpɛntəˌklɔːrəˈfiːnɒl /

noun

1. a white crystalline water-insoluble compound used as a fungicide, herbicide, and preservative for wood. Formula: C 6 Cl 5 OH

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Etymology

Origin of pentachlorophenol

First recorded in 1875–80; penta- + chloro- ² + phenol

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pentachlorophenol

That means that the United States is often behind the curve on banning harmful chemicals, such as the highly toxic pesticide pentachlorophenol.

From Salon ● Aug. 22, 2021

A related chemical, pentachlorophenol, sometimes known as “penta,” is used both as a weed killer and as an insecticide, often being sprayed along railroad tracks and in waste areas.

From The New Yorker ● Jan. 3, 2017

In Michigan, researchers found that cows that licked barn wood treated with the preservative pentachlorophenol were starving to death.

From Time Magazine Archive

A small Texas company called Detox Industries has developed microbes that eat PCBs, creosote and pentachlorophenol.

From Time Magazine Archive

A related chemical, pentachlorophenol, sometimes known as “penta,” is used as a weed killer as well as an insecticide, often being sprayed along railroad tracks and in waste areas.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson

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