phenol-coefficient method [`fē´nȯl ´kō·i´fish·ǝnt ´meth·ǝd] CHEMISTRY A method for evaluating water- miscible disinfectants in which a test organism is added to a series of dilutions of the disinfectant; the phenol coefficient is the number obtained by dividing the greatest dilution of the disinfectant killing the test organism by the greatest dilution of phenol showing the same result. |