Final answer:
The benefit of using a complex phenol solution for disinfection is that they are less corrosive. Phenolics are effective, long-acting disinfectants, and their effectiveness can be compared to phenol using the phenol coefficient. Option D is correct.
Step-by-step explanation:
One of the benefits of using a complex phenol solution for disinfection is that they are less corrosive compared to some other disinfectants. Phenolics are stable, long-acting disinfectants that work by denaturing proteins and disrupting cell membranes, making them effective for use in a variety of settings, including hospital disinfectants and household cleaners.
The effectiveness of these disinfectants was historically measured using the phenol coefficient, which compares a disinfectant's effectiveness to that of phenol. If a chemical disinfectant has a phenol coefficient greater than 1.0, it is considered more effective than phenol.
The term 'phenol coefficient' refers to the standard introduced by Samuel Rideal and J.T. Ainslie Walker in 1903, which measured the effectiveness of a disinfectant against Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi compared to phenol.
A coefficient greater than 1.0 indicates that the disinfectant is more effective than phenol, while a coefficient less than 1.0 indicates a less effective disinfectant.