DDT
Dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane (DDT) is a persistant organic pollutant that is extremely hydrophobic and and strongly absorbed by soil. It was first used as a pesticide against Colorado potato beetles on crops beginning in 1936. In terms of it being applied in aquatics, it is quickly absorbed by soil or evaporates. DDT can also be dissolved in water and is toxic to a wide range of animals, such as marine animals like crayfish, prawns, and other species of fish; they can also affect insects. In the case of mammals, the effects of DDT appear to be less toxic. Studies have shown that DDT has been linked to diabetes, neurological problems, cancer, and decreased fertility in males. One widely known problem that has been linked to DDT is the effect that the pollutant had on birds. Because of DDT, it has caused a decline in the population of the bald eagle, brown pelican, and other birds. What DDT did was that it caused the egg shells of the bird to become soft. This later caused the births of certain birds who were affected by DDT to decline. At the beginning of the 1970s, DDT was banned in most industrialized countries. Although it has been banned in use, DDT still remains in the soil and water.
