Laserfiche WebLink
E10OXNET PIP - DDT Page 1 of 5 <br /> rr EXTOXNET <br /> f Extension Toxicology Network <br /> Pesticide Information Profiles <br /> A Pesticide Information Project of Cooperative Extension Offices of Cornell University, Oregon State University, <br /> the University of Idaho, and the University of California at Davis and the Institute for Environmental Toxicology, <br /> Michigan State University. Major support and funding was provided by the USDA/Extension Service/National <br /> Agricultural Pesticide Impact Assessment Program. <br /> EXTOXNET primary files maintained and archived at Oregon State University <br /> Revised June 1996 <br /> DDT <br /> (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) <br /> TRADE OR OTHER NAMES: Trade or other names include Anofex, Cesarex, Chlorophenothane, Dedelo,p,pO- <br /> DDT, Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, Dinocide, Didimac, Digmar, ENT 1506, Genitox, Guesapon, Guesarol, <br /> Gexarex, Gyron, Hildit, Ixodex, Kopsol, Neocid, OMS 16, Micro DDT 75, Pentachlorin, Rukseam, R50 and <br /> i Zerdane (79,73). <br /> REGULATORY STATUS: DDT is no longer registered for use in the United States, although it is still used in <br /> other(primarily tropical) countries. It is in EPA Toxicity Class II, moderately toxic (72). DDT was banned from use <br /> in the United States in 1972, and remains banned barring public health emergency (e.g., outbreak of malaria) (73). <br /> CHEMICAL CLASS: Organochlorine <br /> INTRODUCTION: DDT is an organochlorine insecticide used mainly to control mosquito-borne malaria; use on <br /> crops has generally been replaced by less persistent insecticides (79). It was extensively used during the Second <br /> World War among Allied troops and certain civilian populations to control insect typhus and malaria vectors, and <br /> was then extensively used as an agricultural insecticide after 1945 (73). DDT was banned for use in Sweden in 1970 <br /> and in the United States in 1972 (73). Many insect pests may have developed resistance to DDT(79). Unless <br /> otherwise specified, the toxicological, environmental effects and environmental fate and chemistry data presented <br /> here refer to the technical product DDT. Technical grade DDT is actually a mixture of three isomers of DDT, <br /> principally the p,p'-DDT isomer (ca. 85%), with the o,p'-DDT and o,o'-DDT isomers typically present in much <br /> lesser amounts (73). <br /> FORMULATION: It is available in several different forms: aerosols, dustableowders emulsifiable concentrates <br /> p � a <br /> granules and wettable powders (79, 72). It is reported to be compatible with many other pesticides and incompatible <br /> with <br /> alkaline substances (79). <br /> TOXICOLOGICAL EFFECTS <br /> . Acute Toxicity: DDT is moderately to slightly toxic to studied mammalian species via the oral route. <br /> Reported oral LD50s range from 113 to 800 mg/kg in rats (79,73); 150-300 mg/kg in mice (79); 300 mg/kg in <br /> guinea pigs (73); 400 mg/kg in rabbits (73) ; 500-750 mg/kg in dogs (79) and greater than 1,000 mg/kg in <br /> sheep and goats (79). Toxicity will vary according to formulation (79). DDT is readily absorbed through the j <br /> gastrointestinal tract, with increased absorption in the presence of fats (73). One-time administration of DDT <br /> to rats at doses of 50 mg/kg led to decreased thyroid function and a single dose of 150 mg/kg led to increased <br /> blood levels of liver-produced enzymes and changes in the cellular chemistry in the central nervous system of <br /> monkeys (73). Single doses of 50-160 mg/kg produced tremors in rats, and single doses of 160 mg/kg <br /> produced hind leg paralysis in guinea pigs (73). Mice suffered convulsions following a one-time oral dose of <br />