APPLICATIONS OF DDT (DICHLORODIPHENYLTRICHLOROETHANE)

D.D.T. is a chemical which is commonly used in agriculture some time ago. It was
used as insecticides to prevent and destroy insects from harming crops. This can be proven in
an article written by R. H. Booker in 1965 which a research was done.

Crops of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) in Northern Nigeria are normally subject to such
heavy attack by insects that the potential yields are seldom realised. The most important pests
are Maruca testulalis (Geyer), which damages flowers and pods, Piezotrachelus varium
(Wagn.), which attacks seeds, and the Coreids Acanthomia brevirostris Stål, A. horrida
(Germ.), Anoplocnemis curvipes (F.) and Mirperus jaculus (Thnb.), all of which destroy pods.
Pests that attack the pre-flowering stages of the cowpea are economically less important. Field
surveys showed that, in 1961, Maruca testulalis, P. varium and Coreids together destroyed 62,
92 and 19 per cent, of the potential crop of seed from sowings in June, July and August,
respectively. The corresponding percentages for 1962 were 55, 75 and 29, respectively.

The effectiveness of insecticides in the control of the pests that attack after flowering
has commenced was investigated in field trials at Samaru, Northern Nigeria, in 1961–63. The
results showed that large increases in yield could be obtained by spray treatments starting at
the first appearance of the flowers. The best of these, consisting of 1 lb. DDT with 0·1 lb.
BHC per acre applied six times at weekly intervals, gave an average yield over the five trials
of 1,623 lb. dry seed per acre, which is a substantial increase over the estimated national
average of 158 lb. per acre. Three applications of DDT/BHC, and six or three applications of
Sevin at 1 lb. per acre, gave poorer results on the whole. Insecticidal treatment reduced the
incidence of all pests and led to a corresponding reduction in flower losses. It also compressed
the flowering period, induced earlier flowering and pod production, and caused the bulk of the
crop to mature at one time. Haulm production was also reduced, and crops grown for haulms
rather than for seed should therefore not be treated with insecticides.

DDT was also used to in a spray used in order to repel mosquitoes and reduce the
spread of malaria in the early 40s.

DDT is a pesticide that was widely used in agriculture and mosquito control in the
early 1940s (Maguire, 2004). DDT proved to be a very effective strategy to prevent the spread
of malaria, albeit with several setbacks as was later discovered (Carson, 1962; Martin, 2008).
Because of its success in mosquito control, a few countries still use it as a preventive
strategy(van den Berg, 2009). Uganda is only in the process of trying to re-introduce the use
of DDT(Wendo, 2004).
DISCUSSIONS

For us, this task was assigned to the students to widen students’ mind and learn more
about hydrocarbons and its’ uses. There are millions of hydrocarbon compounds which can be
beneficial for humans’ daily life. As pros lead, cons follows. DDT can be both beneficial and
harmful. In order to to minimise the harm of this compound, we humans should handle them
more properly. Researchers also should find a way to reduce the cause of usage of this
compound to make this compound can be used in humans daily life.

DDT can be used to repel insects. DDT is one of the compounds found in the
insecticides and pesticides. It is an effective way to help your crops from getting harmed by
fellow pests. DDT is also used to reduce malaria from spreading in the 40s. The effect of
DDT is so effective that the malaria cases decreases so much as they uses DDT in spray to
repel the mosquitoes.

The disadvantages of DDT is they can cause harmful effects on humans, plants and
earth. Recent studies have shown that for humans, DDT is most likely associated with cancer,
infertility, miscarriages, and diabetes. It is also shown that in certain places the food
web/chain was affected because of the killing of certain animals in them. In Malaysia for
example, DDT was linked to deaths of large number of wasps which ate the moth pests. In
Bolivia, DDT was linked to the deaths of cats which controlled the rodent population.
Scientists are finding ways to minimise the cause of DDT towards the environment.

The uses of DDT in perticides need to be reduced. The 2001 Stockholm Convention
on Persistent Organic Pollutants banned DDT worlwide as agricultural use but still permitted
in small quantities in countries that need it, with support mobilized for the transition to safer
and more effective alternatives. DDT can be both useful and harmful for us. It is up to us,
humans on how we should use this wonder-chemical in the future.
REFERENCES

Booker, R. (1965). Pests of cowpea and their control in Northern Nigeria. Bulletin of
Entomological Research, 55(4), 663-672. doi:10.1017/S0007485300049762

Jackson Musuuza (2009). Proposed dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) use for mosquito

control in Uganda; Assessment of possible benefits and effects, 1-8.

Maguire, S. (2004). The co-evolution of technology and discourse: A study of substitution

processes for the insecticide DDT. Organization Studies, 25(1), 113.

Carson, R. (1962). Silent Spring. New York: Penguin Publishers.

Wendo, C. (2004). Uganda considers DDT to protect homes from malaria. Health officials
claim DDT will help save money, but critics warn of environmental costs. Lancet, 363(9418),
1376.