DDT

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DDT (Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane)

DDT (pronounced: /ˌdiːdiːˈtiː/), or Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, is a colorless, tasteless, and almost odorless crystalline chemical compound, an organochlorine, originally developed as an insecticide in the 1940s.

Etymology

The term DDT is derived from the chemical name Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane. The compound was first synthesized in 1874, but its insecticidal properties were not discovered until 1939 by the Swiss chemist Paul Hermann Müller, who was awarded the 1948 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his efforts.

Usage

DDT has been formulated in multiple forms, including solutions in xylene or petroleum distillates, emulsifiable concentrates, water-wettable powders, granules, aerosols, smoke candles, and charges for vaporizers and lotions.

From 1950 to until its ban, DDT was extensively used for insect control in crop and livestock production, institutions, homes, and gardens. DDT's insecticidal action was discovered by the Swiss scientist Paul Hermann Müller in 1939.

Health and Environmental Impact

DDT is classified as a probable human carcinogen by the U.S. and international authorities. This classification is based on animal studies in which some animals developed liver tumors.

DDT is known to be very persistent in the environment, will accumulate in fatty tissues, and can travel long distances in the upper atmosphere. Since the 1960s, studies have shown a declining trend in the concentrations of DDT and its metabolites in the environment and in animals.

Ban and Current Status

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a cancellation order for DDT based on adverse environmental effects, such as those to wildlife, as well as its potential human health risks. Since then, studies have continued, and a causal relationship between DDT exposure and reproductive effects is suspected.

Today, a global agreement, the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, exists to eliminate or restrict the production and use of persistent organic pollutants, including DDT.

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