A) It becomes ineffective after sometime.
B) It is less effective than others.
C) It is not easily/rapidly degraded in nature.
D) It is highly expensive.
Correct Answer: C
Solution :
In 1962, American biologist Rachel Carson published the book Silent Spring, which alleged that DDT caused cancer and harmed bird reproduction by thinning egg shells. This follows the principles of biological magnification, killing higher level organ- isms like the birds. DDT is a persistent organic pollutant with a reported half-life of between 2-15 years, and is immobile in most soils. Its half-life is 56 days in lake water and approximately 28 days in river water. Routes of loss and degradation include run-off, volatilization, photolysis and biodegradation, aerobic and anaerobic. These processes generally occur slowly. Breakdown products in the soil environment are DDE (1, 1-dichloro-2,2-bis (p-dichlorodiphenyl) ethylene) and DDD (l,l-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl) ethane), which are also highly persistent and have similar chemical and physical properties. These products together are known as total DDT. Hence, the correct option is (c).
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