Dichloro Diphenyl Trichloro
The Full Form of DDT is Dichloro Diphenyl Trichloro Ethane. (DDT was the first modern pesticide and is arguably the best known organic pesticide. It is a highly hydrophobic colorless solid with a weak, chemical odor that is nearly insoluble in water but has a good solubility in most organic solvents, fat, and oils.
What is DDT?
DDT
It is an organochlorine insecticide that was first synthesized in 1874.
DDT was a commonly-used pesticide for insect control in the United States until it was canceled in 1972 by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Why was DDT used?
DDT was initially used by the military in WW II to control malaria, typhus, body lice, and bubonic plague. Cases of malaria fell from 400,000 in 1946 to virtually none in 1950 (3). DDT is still used today in South America, Africa, and Asia for this purpose.
Farmers used DDT on a variety of food crops in the United States and worldwide. DDT was also used in buildings for pest control.
The reason why DDT was so widely used was because it is effective, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and lasts a long time in the environment.
