DDT (Ref: OMS 16) |
![]() Last updated: 05/01/2021 |
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(Also known as: clofenotane; dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane; dicofane; chlorophenothane; NCI C00464) |
SUMMARY |
DDT is a banned organochlorine insecticide. It has a low aqueous solubility, is relatively volatile and has a low potential to leach to groundwater. It is highly persistent in soil and non-mobile. It is moderately toxic by the oral route in humans and other mammals but is a carcinogen and endocrine disrupter. It shows a high to moderate level of toxicity to most animals and insects although it is relatively non-toxic to birds |
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An obsolete and banned insecticide that was used to control insect vectors of disease, especially malaria | |
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Mosquitoes; Houseflies; Body lice; Colarado beetles; Gypsy moths | |
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Agricultural crops; Domestic houses; Offices, commercial and industrial situations; Non-cropped sites including roads, rights-of-way; parkland | |
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Not applicable | |
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Obsolete, Banned since 1972 | |
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1944 |
UK regulatory status |
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Not approved | ||
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Expired | ||
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No UK approval for use |
EC Regulation 1107/2009 (repealing 91/414) |
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Not approved | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Not applicable | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Expired | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Not applicable | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Yes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Also used in |
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Chemical structure |
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Isomer mix containing roughly 75-85% p,p'-DDT, 10-15% o,p'-DDT and a small amount of o,o'-DDT. Any balance is comprised of transformation products dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane (DDD). | |
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C₁₄H₉Cl₅ | |
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C1=CC(=CC=C1C(C2=CC=C(C=C2)Cl)C(Cl)(Cl)Cl)Cl (for p,p'-DDT) | |
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No data | |
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YVGGHNCTFXOJCH-UHFFFAOYSA-N (for p,p'-DDT) | |
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InChI=1S/C14H9Cl5/c15-11-5-1-9(2-6-11)13(14(17,18)19)10-3-7-12(16)8-4-10/h1-8,13H (for p,p'-DDT) | |
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Yes |
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Common Name | Relationship | Link |
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o,p'-DDT | Isomer | ![]() |
DDT | Unstated isomer | ![]() |
General status |
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Insecticide | |
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Organochlorine | |
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- | |
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- | |
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Synthetic | |
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Non-systemic stomach and contact action. Sodium channel modulator. | |
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50-29-3 | |
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200-024-3 | |
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3 | |
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029201 | |
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3036 | |
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354.49 | |
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1,1'-(2,2,2-trichloroethane-1,1-diyl)bis(4-chlorobenzene) | |
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1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethane | |
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1,1'-(2,2,2-trichloroethylidene)bis(4-chlorobenzene) | |
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WFD priority substance; Subject to PIC regulations; POP - regulated by Stockholm Convention; LRTAP Annex I; PAN Dirty Dozen; OSPAR soc; Marine Pollutant; Rotterdam Convention (Class II) | |
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EU Directive 2008/105/EC EQS for total DDT surface waters: annual average 0.025 µg l⁻¹ UK statutory standard for protection of aquatic life for inland, coastal & territorial surface waters: 0.025 µg l⁻¹ as annual mean conc |
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Not applicable | |
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Not applicable | |
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3B | |
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Not applicable | |
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Wide variety of insects are resistant, Aedes aegypti, Aedes vittatus, Amblyseius fallacis, Apis mellifera, many varieties of mosquito | |
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White crystalline powder | |
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Formulations |
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DDT was available in many different formats including aerosols, dustable powders, emulsifiable concentrates, granules and wettable powders |
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0.006 | Q3 Q = Miscellaneous internet resources 3 = Unverified data of known source |
Low | ||||||||
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1000000 | L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources Cyclohexanone3 = Unverified data of known source |
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850000 | L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources Dichloromethane3 = Unverified data of known source |
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770000 | L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources Benzene3 = Unverified data of known source |
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600000 | L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources Xylene3 = Unverified data of known source |
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109 | Q3 Q = Miscellaneous internet resources 3 = Unverified data of known source |
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185 | L2 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 2 = Unverified data of unknown source |
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8.13 X 1006 | Calculated | - | |||||||
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6.91 | V3 V = ChemID online databases / IPCS INCHEM (ChemID; IPCS INCHEM ) 3 = Unverified data of known source |
High | ||||||||
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0.99 | Q3 Q = Miscellaneous internet resources 3 = Unverified data of known source |
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0.025 | G4 G = Extension Toxicology network database EXTOXNET (click here ) 4 = Verified data |
Low volatility | ||||||||
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8.43 X 10-01 | V3 V = ChemID online databases / IPCS INCHEM (ChemID; IPCS INCHEM ) 3 = Unverified data of known source |
Moderately volatile | ||||||||
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Degradation |
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6200 | L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source |
Very persistent | |||||||
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2000 | A3 A = EU regulatory and evaluation data as published by EC, EFSA (RAR, DAR & Conclusion dossiers), EMA (e.g. EU Annex III PIC DGD) (EU - Pesticides database; EFSA Scientific Publications ) 3 = Unverified data of known source |
Very persistent | ||||||||
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Best available data, PIC DGD; DT₅₀; Other sources: DT₅₀ 3 months in tropical regions, 4-30 years temperate regions. | ||||||||||
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6.0 | R4 R = Peer reviewed scientific publications 4 = Verified data |
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Published literature RL₅₀ range 1.6-10.8 days, 4 field crops, various matrices, n=5 | ||||||||||
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20.2 | R4 R = Peer reviewed scientific publications 4 = Verified data |
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Published literature RL₅₀ range 3.4-44.0 days, 8 field crops, various matrices, n=13 | ||||||||||
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Soil adsorption and mobility |
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- | G3 G = Extension Toxicology network database EXTOXNET (click here ) 3 = Unverified data of known source |
Non-mobile | |||||||
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151000 | ||||||||||
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Log Koc given as 5.18 | ||||||||||
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Fate indices |
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-3.89 | Calculated | Low leachability | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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5.35 X 10-03 | Calculated | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Estimated concentrations of chemicals with Koc values greater than 9995 ml g⁻¹ are beyond the scope of the regression data used in SCI-GROW development. If there are concerns for such chemicals, a higher tier groundwater exposure assessment should be considered, regardless of the concentration returned by SCI-GROW | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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High | Calculated | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Non-mobile | Calculated | - |
Key metabolites |
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Soil | - | Not assessed under 91/414 or 1107/2009 | |||||
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Soil | - | Not assessed under 91/414 or 1107/2009 |
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3173 | F3 F = U.S. EPA ECOTOX database / U.S. EPA pesticide fate database / Miscellaneous WHO documents (US EPA Databases Related to Pesticide Risk Assessment ) (Other literature Log BCF values range 1.9-5.5 (R3))3 = Unverified data of known source |
Threshold for concern | |||||||
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Not available | - | |||||||||
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113 | A4 A = EU regulatory and evaluation data as published by EC, EFSA (RAR, DAR & Conclusion dossiers), EMA (e.g. EU Annex III PIC DGD) (EU - Pesticides database; EFSA Scientific Publications ) Rat4 = Verified data |
Moderate | ||||||||
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- | L2 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources Rat 160 day2 = Unverified data of unknown source |
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> 2240 | G4 G = Extension Toxicology network database EXTOXNET (click here ) Anas platyrhynchos4 = Verified data |
Low | ||||||||
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> 2.5 | F4 F = U.S. EPA ECOTOX database / U.S. EPA pesticide fate database / Miscellaneous WHO documents (US EPA Databases Related to Pesticide Risk Assessment ) Oncorhynchus mykiss4 = Verified data |
Moderate | ||||||||
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0.13 | F4 F = U.S. EPA ECOTOX database / U.S. EPA pesticide fate database / Miscellaneous WHO documents (US EPA Databases Related to Pesticide Risk Assessment ) Oncorhynchus mykiss4 = Verified data |
Moderate | ||||||||
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> 0.005 | J4 J = Pesticide Action Network database (click here ) Daphnia magna4 = Verified data |
High | ||||||||
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> 0.0027 | F3 F = U.S. EPA ECOTOX database / U.S. EPA pesticide fate database / Miscellaneous WHO documents (US EPA Databases Related to Pesticide Risk Assessment ) Chironomus riparius 1 day3 = Unverified data of known source |
High | ||||||||
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0.54 | F4 F = U.S. EPA ECOTOX database / U.S. EPA pesticide fate database / Miscellaneous WHO documents (US EPA Databases Related to Pesticide Risk Assessment ) Apis mellifera4 = Verified data |
High | |||||||
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0.556 | R4 R = Peer reviewed scientific publications Megachile rotundata4 = Verified data |
High | |||||||
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Contact | ||||||||||
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0.0074 | R4 R = Peer reviewed scientific publications Nomia melanderi4 = Verified data |
High | |||||||
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Contact | ||||||||||
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> 1000 | F3 F = U.S. EPA ECOTOX database / U.S. EPA pesticide fate database / Miscellaneous WHO documents (US EPA Databases Related to Pesticide Risk Assessment ) Eisenia foetida 56 day3 = Unverified data of known source |
Low | ||||||||
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280 | F3 F = U.S. EPA ECOTOX database / U.S. EPA pesticide fate database / Miscellaneous WHO documents (US EPA Databases Related to Pesticide Risk Assessment ) Eisenia foetida as EC103 = Unverified data of known source |
Low | ||||||||
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176.0 | R3 R = Peer reviewed scientific publications Folsomia candida as EC103 = Unverified data of known source |
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Moderately harmful | AB1 AB = SELECTV Database Typhlodromus pyri1 = Estimated data with little or no verification |
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General |
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High (class III) | - | - | ||||||||
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113 | A4 A = EU regulatory and evaluation data as published by EC, EFSA (RAR, DAR & Conclusion dossiers), EMA (e.g. EU Annex III PIC DGD) (EU - Pesticides database; EFSA Scientific Publications ) Rat4 = Verified data |
Moderate | ||||||||
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2510 | L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources Rat3 = Unverified data of known source |
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0.01 | F5 F = U.S. EPA ECOTOX database / U.S. EPA pesticide fate database / Miscellaneous WHO documents (US EPA Databases Related to Pesticide Risk Assessment ) JMPR 20015 = Verified data used for regulatory purposes |
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None allocated | F5 F = U.S. EPA ECOTOX database / U.S. EPA pesticide fate database / Miscellaneous WHO documents (US EPA Databases Related to Pesticide Risk Assessment ) JMPR 20005 = Verified data used for regulatory purposes |
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List I; List II | - | - | ||||||||
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Non-statutory WHO drinking water guideline 0.001 mg l⁻¹ | B5 B = UK CRD and ACP evaluation documents / and other Defra (UK) documents (click here ) UK EA QS database 20185 = Verified data used for regulatory purposes |
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Health issues |
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Highly toxic by ingestion, inhalation and via skin absorption Strong links with breast and womb cancer Endocrine issues - Competitive binding to androgen receptors |
Handling issues |
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No information available | |||
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Health: H301, H351, H372 Environment: H400, H410 |
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Carcinogen category 3: R40 T - Toxic: R25, R48/25 N - Dangerous for the environment: R50, R53 |
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S1/2, S22, S36/37, S45, S60, S61 | |||
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II (Moderately hazardous) | |||
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2761 | |||
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DDT | ||
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DDT | ||
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DDT | ||
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DDT | ||
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DDT | ||
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DDT | ||
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DDT | ||
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DDT | ||
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DDT | ||
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DDT | ||
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DDT |
Record last updated: | 05/01/2021 |
Contact: | aeru@herts.ac.uk |
Please cite as: | Lewis, K.A., Tzilivakis, J., Warner, D. and Green, A. (2016) An international database for pesticide risk assessments and management. Human and Ecological Risk Assessment: An International Journal, 22(4), 1050-1064. DOI: 10.1080/10807039.2015.1133242 |