Ban on DDT

Ban on DDT

Introduction

DDT is an organic insecticide which is white in color. It is tasteless, odorless and exists in pure crystalline form. DDT was used till the mid of World War II to control the spreading of malaria and typhus in all over the world among troops and civilians. After the end of World War II, DDT was started to use as an agricultural insecticide. After some time, it is understood by many biologists that, it is not the right decision to spray DDT in such enormous quantity as it is injurious to human lives and animals.

Discussion

The properties of DDT were not understood by environmentalists till 1939 as an insecticide. It was using with tremendous results during World War II for killing mosquitoes. It has nearly finished the diseases in Entire Europe at that time. In 1962, American Biologists, Rachel Carson published a book “Silent Spring” in which he focused the impacts of spraying large amount of DDT in U.S. He also questioned about releasing too many chemicals while spraying DDT into the environment without understanding their after effects as it is dangerous to human lives. These pesticides are also an enemy of wild life especially birds, when it is using for agricultural purposes.

Restrictions on Usage

Disposition of Toxic Compounds

It is important to understand the disposition of toxic compounds as it can be absorbed by the biological systems. Toxic compounds can be absorbed in human body by cell membrane, transportation of toxic materials through cell membrane. Absorption may affect skin, and lungs. It can also affect the excretion system such as urinary excretion. There are four processes of disposition of Toxic compounds. These four processes are absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion.

Absorption

Toxic compounds are always come into contact before they show their affects. The contact is basically through cell membranes. Each cell membrane is of different characteristics having different structures, number of proteins and cholesterol. Toxic substance can pass through pores by the process of filtration. Small molecules pass through the membrane which is formed by proteins. Absorption is mainly dependent on the lipid solubility. The compound must be non ionized in order to have the process of diffusion.

Active transports mainly consists of some factors which include the transport carrier across the membrane, energy of metabolism, process may be inhibited by metabolic poison. DDT in a similar way affects the lungs and skin of humans as well as toxic to wild lives.

There was a banned on using DDT with agricultural products in 1970s and 1980s and this ban had started with Hungary in 1968. There was a complete ban in usage of DDT in United States, in 1972 but, it was not banned in United Kingdom until 1984. DDT was replaced by number of insecticides with few effects on animals. The ban was encouraged by number of countries including United States and most environmentalists also appreciated it.

Exposure and Responses

DDT is most dangerous to the lives of fish including crayfish, daphnids, sea shrimp, and other species of ...