What happens to the water in a chlorination process when it has high phenolic compounds?

When water containing high phenolic compounds undergoes chlorination, it develops a medicinal taste due to the reaction of chlorine with these compounds. Phenols are organic compounds that can impart an unpleasant taste and odor to the water after chlorination, often described as a medicinal or disinfectant flavor. This happens because chlorine reacts with phenolic substances, leading to the formation of chlorinated by-products that can have distinct tastes.

It's important to note that while the presence of phenolic compounds can also affect corrosion, filtration, and oxygen demand, those processes or outcomes are not primarily characterized by the development of a medicinal taste. Specifically, the corrosiveness and increased oxygen demand would not be the defining characteristics of chlorinated water with phenols, and total filtration of phenolics is not practical or feasible in standard water treatment processes. Therefore, the response that focuses on the medicinal taste directly relates to the changes brought about by chlorination in the presence of high phenolic content, making it the most relevant choice.