Phenol extraction

Phenol extraction is a processing technology used to prepare phenols as raw materials, compounds or additives for industrial wood processing and for chemical industries. Phenol extraction also is a laboratory process to purify DNA samples.

In this method, a mixture of TE (or Tris-Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) and phenol is combined with an equal volume of an aqueous DNA sample. After agitation and centrifugal separation, the aqueous layer is extracted, and further processed with ether. Then the DNA is concentrated by ethanol precipitation.