Understanding the Full form of DDT

DDT is an acronym for Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane , a chemical compound used as an insecticide in agriculture. Despite being banned in the United States in 1972, DDT continues to be used in some countries. Historically, DDT was also employed to eliminate lice. Additionally, it is still used outside of the United States to control malaria-transmitting mosquitoes. It's worth noting that DDT and its related compounds are persistent in the environment and animal tissues.

A Brief Look at the History of DDT

• DDT was first synthesized in 1874 and was widely used to combat malaria and typhus among civilians and military personnel.
• It was primarily applied as a spray.
• Concerns about DDT's detrimental effects on the environment and living organisms emerged in the early 1970s.
• In 1973, The United States Environmental Protection Agency banned the usage of DDT.

The Chemical Structure and Function of DDT

• DDT's molecular formula is C ₁₄ H ₉ Cl ₅ . It is highly hydrophobic, insoluble in water, but soluble in most organic solvents like fats and oils.
• It is typically produced by the reaction of chloral (CCl ₃ CHO) with chlorobenzene (C ₆ H ₅ Cl) in the presence of a sulphuric acid catalyst (H ₂ SO ₄ ).
• When crops are sprayed with DDT, insects inhabiting the plants come into contact with it. This damages the insect's nervous system, ultimately leading to its death.

Potential Hazards of DDT

DDT is considered a dangerous substance and has been linked to a range of diseases in humans.

• Breast and liver cancer
• Diabetes
• Various types of tumours
• DDT is highly toxic and poses a threat to a wide variety of species, including mammals, birds, and fish.
• In certain bird species, DDT has been implicated in the thinning of eggshells, leading to egg breakage and embryo death.