Tar Acid

Name:
Tar Acid
Detailed information:
Any mixture of phenols present in tars or tar distillates and extractable by caustic soda solutions. Usually refers to tar acids from coal tar and includes phenol, cresols, and xylenols. When applied to the products from other tars it should be qualified by the appropriate prefix, e.g., wood tar acid, lignite tar acid, etc.

Properties:

Soluble in alcohol and coal tar hydrocarbons. Combustible.

Grade:

15–18%, 25–28%, and 50–53% phenol.

Hazard:

Toxic by ingestion, inhalation, and skin absorption; strong irritant to tissue.

Use:

Wood preservative, insecticide for cattle and sheep dipping (dip oils or sheep dip), manufacture of disinfectants.