Botany - Environmental Issues Question with Solution | TestHub
Which of the following statements about DDT are false?
I. DDT stands for dichlorodiphenyltrichloropropane and is an organochlorine insecticide.
II. DDT is soluble in water but insoluble in organic solvents.
III. High concentrations of DDT disturb calcium metabolism in birds, which causes thinning of eggshell and their premature breaking.
IV. In fish-eating birds, the DDT can ultimately reach a very high level of 25 ppm.
Options:
Answer:
Solution:
DDT is an organochlorine insecticide and it stands for dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane. DDT is lipophilic; hence, it is insoluble in water but soluble in organic solvents and fats. It is not biodegradable and can be stored in fat tissue. Thus, it accumulates in successive trophic levels. In fish-eating birds, the DDT can ultimately reach a very high level of 25 ppm (parts per million). High concentrations of DDT disturbs calcium metabolism in birds, which causes thinning of eggshell and their premature breaking.
