Ddt : A Highly Effective Insecticide Kills Mosquito, Louse And Other Crop Pests Essay

A positive consequence of DDT is its effectiveness, even in the face of pesticide resistance in the anopheles mosquito. The eradication of malaria in the United States and the health of US Soldiers while fighting in World War II can be greatly credited to the use of DDT

In 1975, seemingly absurd predictions made in Rachel’s Carlson Silent Spring (1962) on human health and ecosystem hazards caused by DDT materialized in our James River, Virginia. Irresponsible chemical disposure from Life Science Products made workers ill from neurotoxin exposure, suffering from symptoms of nosebleeds, headaches, chest pains, and dizziness from neurotoxin exposure (Goldfarb, William). Ecosystem was destroyed animals leaving the area with 200,000 pounds of Kepone found on almost all land surfaces, and parts of the river (Wilson, Sarah).

The following involves the second chapter of Carson’s book, Silent Spring that was written in 1962. In this chapter Carson argues persuasively the adverse impacts of pesticides upon the environment and the risks on human health and the environment associated with these “genetic invaders” (Carson, 1962). Many of the extremely diverse people from Carson’s audience targeted were under the impression that chemicals like DDT, at that time in history, were safe for their health. Carson reconciles and attempts to persuade the public to consider the idea that DDT, which in the 1950s and 60s was one of the many chemical pesticides being manufactured and sold to

DDT is a very controversial product… but why? DDT was a pesticide used in the 1950s and it was very effective at killing mosquitoes. This was good because mosquitoes carry a very deadly disease called malaria. But soon the government banned its use in the USA. It supposedly has been decreasing the populations of bald eagles. They think that it makes the eggshells thinner, so when the eagle it trying to keep the eggs warm it might break the eggs on accident. Many people are happy about this ban and others are not. Some researchers feel that evidence supports a ban on DDT while others feel that it is an over reaction to an environmental concern. DDT has been shown to help control the malaria parasite. Evidence supports the banning

DDT has been used since WW2 as an insecticide to control the outbreak of malaria and typhus among troops and civilians. This is because malaria is spread by mosquitos and DDT was considered to be a powerful in eliminating these populations, thus decreasing the infection rate for malaria. Since it was first discovered as an insecticide, worldwide it was used in very large amounts because nobody knew any better and it was considered to be revolutionary. It wasn’t until 1962, when biologist Rachel Carson first outlined the potential harm DDT has on the environment, believing it caused cancer in humans and harmed bird wildlife. This led to the United Stated ban of DDT use in 1972, and later, a worldwide ban under the Stockholm

First, DDT had shown to affect birds and their populations. Affected birds include the American bald eagle, brown pelican, peregrine falcon, and osprey. Insects that consumed DDT are eaten by predators, and those animals are eaten by other predators until large amounts DDT eventually reach bird. DDT had been shown to cause bird eggs to develop a thin shell, causing the embryo inside the egg to die when its parent tries to sit on it to incubate the egg. This had caused many North American and European birds of prey species populations to plummet into endangerment. Additionally, DDT had also been the cause of the deaths of many marine species, including plankton, sea shrimp, and crayfish. These creatures were poisoned from DDT-infected streams and creeks feeding into the ocean. Finally, it was revealed by research that DDT accumulates in many organisms. DDT is only soluble, meaning that it only dissolves in fats and oils, so it bioaccumulates in the fat tissues of many organisms, including humans. This DDT concentration is also transferred between animals through the food web until it is at its highest concentration, in the apex predators. A study in 2005 had also shown that DDT was present in almost all humans. The half life of DDT in humans in six to ten

DDT use can lead to horrible effects in humans and we can not become immune to these horrible unlike the flies that we are trying to kill. We think we have all this superiority over little insects when in fact they have the hand over us. Not because they are more intelligent than us but because we are too intelligent for ourselves. Conniff’s essay shows how our own superiority can lead to our demise.

Carson’s other books, Under the Sea Wind, The Sea Around Us (which stayed on the New York Times bestseller list for 86 weeks), and The Edge of The Sea all focus on nature’s strength and the inter-connectedness of nature and all living things. But DDT exposed the vulnerability of nature and I think this influenced the writing of Silent Spring. DDT was the most powerful pesticide in the world at the time of Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring. Unlike most pesticides, whose effectiveness is limited to destroying one or two types of insects, DDT was capable of killing hundreds of different kinds at once. Developed in 1939, it first distinguished itself during World War II, clearing South Pacific islands of malaria-causing insects for U.S. troops, while in Europe being used as an effective de-lousing powder. Its inventor was awarded the Nobel Prize.

Carson’s anchor text, “Silent Spring” is inspiring some people to solve the problem that could get worse in the future. For example, it makes people think we should care for the planet more because if we don’t, we could disappear in a second. In this anchor text, it is about the dangers of DDT. It is a dangerous pesticides many people try to get rid of. With this more people start to be puzzled.

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

In the book Silent Spring, Rachel Carson’s main concern is the widespread use of synthetic pesticides and their impact on the environment. Carson concentrates on a commonly used pesticide in the 1950s called DDT. She opposes the indiscriminate spraying of DDT because it has profound consequences on the environment, humans and animals. Carson collected information about how the DDT can cause cancer in humans, harm animals such as birds and remained in the environment for long periods of time. Subsequently, the chemicals in the pesticides are extremely harmful so she tries to raise awareness and convince others that there are better alternatives.

Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring is widely considered a landmark in scientific writing. She aims to educate the general public about the disastrous effects of massive DDT usage. The book served as a public warning, allowing civilians an expert opinion on the dangers of this most harmful practice. It highlights the need for a shift in the mindset of the collective country. The way civilians regard science is often with either fear or apprehension. It need not be. The ideas put forth in Carson’s book about the need for a higher level of concern and caution are commendable; however, more emphasis should have been placed on the responsibility of civilians to appreciate and use the scientific method to solve environmental problems.

Federal regulation of pesticides in the United States has evolved from two pieces of legislation enacted around the turn of the century: the Federal Insecticide Act of 1910 and the Federal Food and Drugs Act of 1906 (Toth, 1996). In 1910, the Federal Government first started to regulate pesticides with the passing of the Insecticide Act of 1910. In 1947, Congress broadened the role of the U.S. Government by passing the first Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act of 1947 (FIFRA) . The 1972 amendments, under the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a federal agency, controls the sale, distribution, and application of pesticides through the Administrator of EPA.

This eventually led to the ban of the chemical DDT, which was supposed to “kill insects”. Because it was colorless and tasteless, many animals and plants ingested this

In addition, DDT is a cheap form of pesticide available on the market. This is obvious through detailed calculations and recent price quotes from manufacturers and WHO suppliers for DDT and nine other insecticides commonly used in similar malaria control programmes, it is shown that DDT is still the cheapest insecticide on a cost per house basis (Walker 2000). Combining both facts that the pricing of DDT is cheap and that only small amounts are used each time and at long intervals, DDT has turned out to be a cost effective insecticide to be used to combat malaria in poor countries whose government is unable to afford more expensive alternatives.