DDT is one of the most controversial chemical compounds in recent history.

It has proven effectiveness as an

insecticide, but its potent toxicity isn't limited to insects. Banned by many countries including the United States,
DDT is nonetheless still used -- legally or illegally -- in some places.
What Is DDT?
DDT, also known as dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane, belongs to a class of pesticides known as organochlorides. A
synthetic chemical compound that must be made in a laboratory (it doesn't occur in nature), DDT is a colorless,
crystalline solid.DDT can't be dissolved in water; it is, however, easily dissolved in organic solvents, fats or oils. As a
result of its tendency to dissolve in fats, DDT can build up in the fatty tissues of animals that are exposed to it. This
accumulated build-up is known as bioaccumulation, and DDT is described by the EPA as a persistent,
bioaccumulative toxin.Because of this bioaccumulation, DDT remains in the food chain, moving from crayfish, frogs
and fish into the bodies of animals that eat them. Therefore, DDT levels are often highest in the bodies of animals
near the top of the food chain, notably in predatory birds like eagles, hawks, pelicans, condors and other meat-
eating birds.DDT also has serious health effects on humans. According to the EPA, DDT can cause liver damage
including liver cancer, nervous system damage, birth defects and other reproductive harm.
Bioaccumulation is a process resulting in the concentration of substances in living tissues. The term is used often
in reference to such chemical contaminants that may do harm to organisms as chlorinated pesticides and heavy
metals. Nonetheless, organisms do accumulate chemicals and minerals needed for their survivalthis may be
referred to as bioaccumulation. Many substances entering organisms are eventually eliminated in wastes; whereas
such others as heavy metals and fat-soluble organic substances (for example, persistent organic pollutants or
POPs) may remain in the body for long periods of time. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency uses the
term persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic pollutants (PBTs) to categorize substances that raise human health and
environmental health concerns. Depending on their affinity for fatty tissue and the length of the body's exposure,
PBTs may accumulate in high concentrations and may cause physiological problems. PBTs enter the organism
through a variety of active and passive means, including respiration, food intake, and epidermal (or skin) contact.
Chlorinated pesticides
DDT, a chlorinated pesticide used heavily on U.S. farms in the middle of the 20th century, was found to
bioaccumulate through earthworms to organisms higher on the food chain. Various songbirds, waterbirds and
birds of prey experienced drastic population decreases during the 1950s due to such severe reproductive problems
as overly thin, breakable eggshells. These problems were associated with widespread spraying of DDT. Writer and
biologist Rachel Carson affected U.S. policy and public perception regarding pesticides greatly by describing the
devastating effects of DDT in her 1962 best-selling book, Silent Spring.