What Were the Side Effects of DDT?

DDT once was known as a "miracle pesticide" for its efficiency at killing crop-destroying insects. But it also was found to harm the health of people who were exposed to it. DDT has been banned from widespread use in the United States since 1973, but decades later its chemical descendants linger in the water and soil.

Significance

• DDT kills crop-destroying pests, but causes health problems in humans. The Environmental Protection Agency banned its use as a general pesticide in 1973, but it is used to fight serious insect-borne diseases such as malaria in several parts of the world.

Effects

• According to the Environmental Protection Agency, DDT can cause liver cancer and other damage. It damages the reproductive system and causes temporary symptoms such as headache, nausea and dizziness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Function

• Humans are exposed to DDT by eating plants grown in contaminated soil or fish that swim in contaminated water. The substance can take up to 15 years to break down and is still a concern in the Great Lakes region, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Considerations

• Though DDT causes adverse health effects, it is endorsed by the World Health Organization as a means of fighting malaria. The WHO approved DDT use in such cases in 2006, reversing a 30-year-old policy.

Prevention/Solution

• Cooking reduces the amount of DDT in fish, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In addition, the FDA monitors food imports from countries that still use DDT. Commonly monitored products include coffee and tropical fruits.