A Brief Note On The Common Routes Of Exposure

Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, better known as DDT is a notorious organochlorine pesticide that is created by the reaction of chloral with chlorobenzene in combination with sulfuric acid(Britannica p.1). It was first used as an insecticide in 1939 by Hermann Muller in Switzerland. DDT works as an insecticideby acting on the nervous system to generate the same neural impulse over and over causing body tremors and eventually death. DDT is an extremely stable chemical compound containing C14H9Cl5 which leads to some significant resistance issues when used as a pesticide. The most problematic property of DDT is its high fat solubility and extremely low water solubility meaning that it has a tendency to stick around in the environment for longer than we want since it is readily taken up in the bodies of nearby mammals.

Also depicted in this paper is the type of cancers caused by each chemical and other related health problems associated with each chemical. Finally, the role of government agencies such as FDA, EPA and OSHA in preventing excessive amount or zero amounts of toxic chemicals from entering the environment will be discussed. The last paragraphs will enumerate the inferred conclusion from my research on Agent Orange, DDT and Benzene.

Also depicted in this paper is the type of cancers caused by each chemical and other related health problems associated with each chemical. Finally, the role of government agencies such as FDA, EPA and OSHA in preventing excessive amount or zero amounts of toxic chemicals from entering the environment will be discussed. The last paragraphs will enumerate the inferred conclusion from my research on Agent Orange, DDT and Benzene.

Despite the lack of evidence in support of the detrimental affects of DDT on human health, the potential adverse effects still merit study, especially given the established negative effects of bioaccumulation in the environment. However, according to Brenda Eskenazi, a professor from the Berkeley School of Public Health at the University of California, there have been no conclusive health studies on the people in Africa actually being exposed to the high levels of the insecticide, which is frightening, considering all the worry about the health problems DDT causes (Cone,

DDT is a chemical that is widely known for is properties as an insecticide. When humans discovered this “wonder product” the whole country was on fire! The one company that made the most money was Montrose Chemical Corporation. From 1942 - 1971, when DDT was banned, the MCC pumped out DDT tons at a time. However, the bigshots were faced with a problem. Where do you dump all the leftover byproduct? Hey, why not the ocean! When DDT byproduct, DDE, was dumped into the ocean, fish and other seafood had it leached into them. This meant the bald eagles’ main food source was contaminated. When the bald eagles ingested their main source of food, the DDE became very concentrated in them. When bald eagles attempted to lay eggs, barely any would hatch! The DDE caused their eggs to be porous, and the eggs fail to hatch. This meant the bald eagles’ total extinction on the Channel Islands by the 1950’s.

Pesticides are also found in the Great Lakes. These pesticides are made up of dangerous chemicals like toxaphene and chlordane. The rain transports the pesticides from crops to bodies of water like the Great Lakes. They are then absorbed by phytoplankton and it moves up the food chain from there. Pesticides

TCDD is a dioxin that can be produced through diesel exhaust, burning waste, and chemical manufacturing. In recent years, many have argued that exposure to this chemical can cause serious illnesses. Studies on animals have shown that TCDD is one of the most poisonous chemicals out there. The animal testing has been found to be especially toxic to developing babies in the womb. A pregnant rat given a dose of less than one part per billion (which is comparable to a single drop in 14,000 gallons of water) will cause female sexual characteristics in a male embryo. Doses of 100 parts per billion in rodents and fish have been proven to cause birth defects such as cleft palates, malfunctioning kidneys, heart problems, and weak bones (Schmidt). Animal studies have proven that small doses of TCDD can be severely detrimental to one’s

DDT and other chlorinated hydrocarbons are very fat soluble so when these chemicals are sprayed on plants and these plants get eaten by animal the chlorinated hydrocarbon gets in the animal's fat. Then that animal get eaten by another animal and now that has the chlorinated

2. Research in the early 1960s proved that high levels of DDT found in predatory birds were the cause of the decrease in their populations. When the predatory birds came in contact with DDT, their reproduction was directly affected. As a result of DDT's presence in the predatory bird's body, the eggshells of these birds started to become slender. These eggshells become so thin that whenever the mother bird would lie on the egg waiting for it to hatch, the eggs would break. Thus, the predatory bird population had no means of increasing, since their reproduction was not successful. Biological magnification had a large role to play in the decrease of the predatory bird population. Spraying of DDT on vegetation led to contamination of the prey populations such as fish. These prey started building large concentrations of DDT within their bodies. As a result, the predatory birds also got contaminated, since they preyed upon contaminated animals.

Akwasasne Mohawk peoples has shown that pollutants, such as lead, DDT (dichloro-diphenyl- trichloroethane), which is stored as the metabolite DDE (1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(chlorophe- nyl)ethylene),

findings that exposure to DDE, the chemical compound that’s left when DDT breaks down, is linked to AD (4).

· The following are a list of my sources, that I will use reinforce the impacts and reactions by Americans to the issues of DDTs, oil spills, and hydrogen bomb testing:

While DDT is good for killing bugs, it is also really good at breaking down our foods. One study by the President's Cancer Panel showed that girls exposed to DDT before puberty are five times more likely to develop breast cancer in middle age. Really the only good thing that comes from DDT is that it’s a possible solution for malaria control, but even then it’s rare that DDT is the most effective option. The dangers and harmful effects of DDT are too dangerous and society as a whole needs to stop using

DDT is a colorless, crystalline, tasteless and almost odorless organochlorine known for its insecticidal properties and environmental impacts. PCB (Polychlorinated biphenyls) are a group of manufactured organic

Carson mentions that spraying lethal dose of DDT will influence ecosystem. If it were a moderate amount, it should be safe. Therefore, there are some countries, especially in developing countries, using DDT for malaria. The reason that they are spraying DDT is that it is cheaper than any other insecticide which means it is easy to purchase it for developing countries. Moreover, World Health Organization has announced that spraying DDT indoor will play a significant role in fighting against malaria. From this information, I think that using DDT appropriately will be very efficient and less