How DDT went from triumph to tragedy
By 
Mike Sutton2024-05-20T08:14:00
Few compounds have a story as controversial as this insecticide. Mike Sutton traces the tale from its beginning 150 years ago
Before its synthesis in 1874, dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethylene was unknown to science. For decades afterwards, it remained one among many (apparently) useless chemical compounds prepared by PhD students and subsequently ignored. Then in the 1940s, it was found to have a lethal impact on insects that transmit serious human diseases.
Under the stress of war DDT’s production was prioritised, and it saved many lives in barracks and refugee camps. When peace returned, it powered ambitious public health projects and was welcomed by insect-plagued farmers and homeowners. But gradually it became apparent that DDT does not degrade quickly into less toxic substances. It can accumulate in the biosphere, moving up food chains until it reaches lethal levels in some species.