Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE)

Needed material: 5ml EDTA blood

We test Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE).

DDT was the first insecticide developed in the 1940s. The peak year for use in the United States was 1959 when nearly 80 million pounds were applied. From that high point, usage declined steadily to about 13 million pounds in 1971, most of it applied to cotton. It was used worldwide for insect control among humans, homes and institutions, for animals, crops and gardens. Due to its adverse effects on the environment, on animals and humans, the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) issued a ban for DDT in 1972. In 1996, restrictions to limit DDT were enacted globally, but in 2006, WHO (World Health Organization) recommended its use again for indoor spray programs to combat malaria. The general use of the pesticide DDT will no longer be legal in the United States and European countries.

Organochlorines such as DDT are extremely persistent and accumulate in tissue. There is substantial evidence suggesting that DDT and its metabolite DDE act as endocrine disruptors, interfering with hormonal function.

Kidney disease blamed on farm chemicals

Sri Lanka - Thousands of people in the Asian island nation of Sri Lanka have been struck by a mysterious and deadly form of kidney disease. A new study points to a likely cause - pesticides and fertilisers.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19628295#