The purpose of this review article is to explain the hazards of phenol and phenol compounds to human health and the environment. To describe where and how phenol and its compounds occur, especially in industrial effluents. To study the possibility of using laser technologies for phenol cleavage, as well as for the treatment of industrial wastewater from phenol compounds. Removal of phenol and its compounds using biological wastewater treatment process is widely used worldwide. This method is cost-effective and environmentally friendly. On the other hand, exceeding the tolerable phenol concentration, which is individual for each biological treatment plant, may result in severe intoxication and lead to death of activated sludge system. Thus, the biological treatment process of industrial wastewater is halted until the phenol concentration is reduced to an acceptable level and the microorganisms have time to recover. Such a procedure can be time consuming and unpredictable due to the susceptibility of microorganisms to changing conditions. Based on this, sources of literature have been studied that could help to understand which laser equipment can be used to cleave a phenolic compound or benzene ring to simpler compounds.

The aim of the work is to explain the danger of phenol and phenolic compounds to human health and the environment. In addition, it explains where and why pollution by phenol and its compounds occurs, especially in industrial wastewater. The authors investigate the possibility of using laser technologies for the decomposition of phenol, as well as for the purification of industrial wastewater from phenolic compounds. Treatment of wastewater from phenol and its compounds using microorganisms for biological treatment is widely used in the world. This method is economical and environmentally friendly. On the other hand, exceeding the permissible concentration of phenol, which is individual for each biological treatment plant, microorganisms in such treatment plants may die because they are poisoned by phenol or its compounds. Thus, the biological treatment of industrial wastewater is temporarily stopped until the concentration of phenol is reduced to an acceptable limit and the microorganisms recover. Such a procedure can take a long time and is unpredictable because microorganisms are sensitive to changing conditions. Based on this, literature sources have been explored. This could help to understand which laser devices can be used to split a phenol compound or a benzene ring into simple chemicals. It also helps to understand how phenol-containing wastewater affects the microorganisms of biological treatment plants and the course of the process, as well as to find a laser device that would not affect the usual conditions of microorganisms of biological treatment plants. Several experiments were carried out, including those with lasers, to exclude possible interfering factors and to prove the already known data for further scientific research.