(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
Data alerts
The following alerts are based on the data in the tables below. An absence of an alert does not imply the substance has no implications for human health, biodiversity or the environment but just that we do not have the data to form a judgement.
Environmental fate
Ecotoxicity
Human health
Environmental fate High alert: Very persistent; Potential for particle bound transport: High
Ecotoxicity High alert: Daphnia acute ecotoxicity: High; Bees acute contact ecotoxicity: High
Human health High alert: Carcinogen; Endocrine distrupter; Reproduction/development effects; Neurotoxicant
GENERAL INFORMATION
Description
An obsolete and banned insecticide that was used to control insect vectors of disease, especially malaria
Example pests controlled
Mosquitoes; Houseflies; Body lice; Colarado beetles; Gypsy moths
Example applications
Agricultural crops; Domestic houses; Offices, commercial and industrial situations; Non-cropped sites including roads, rights-of-way; parkland
Efficacy & activity
Not applicable
Availability status
Considered obsolete but may be available in some countries; Banned in many countries
Introduction & key dates
1944
UK regulatory status
UK COPR regulatory status
Not approved
Date COPR inclusion expires
Expired
UK LERAP status
No UK approval for use
EC Regulation 1107/2009 (repealing 91/414)
EC Regulation 1107/2009 status
Not approved
Dossier rapporteur/co-rapporteur
Not applicable
Date EC 1107/2009 inclusion expires
Expired
EU Candidate for substitution (CfS)
Not applicable
Listed in EU database
Yes
Approved for use (✓) under EC 1107/2009 in the following EU Member States
ATAustria
BEBelgium
BGBulgaria
CYCyprus
CZCzech Republic
DEGermany
DKDenmark
EEEstonia
ELGreece
ESSpain
FIFinland
FRFrance
HRCroatia
HUHungary
IEIreland
ITItaly
LTLithuania
LULuxembourg
LVLatvia
MTMalta
NLNetherlands
PLPoland
PTPortugal
RORomania
SESweden
SISlovenia
SKSlovakia
Additional information
Also used in
-
Chemical structure
Isomerism
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).
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)
Relevant Environmental Water Quality Standards
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
Herbicide Resistance Classification (HRAC)
Not applicable
Herbicide Resistance Classification (WSSA)
Not applicable
Insecticide Resistance Classification (IRAC)
3B
Fungicide Resistance Classification (FRAC)
Not applicable
Examples of recorded resistance
Wide variety of insects are resistant, Aedes aegypti, Aedes vittatus, Amblyseius fallacis, Apis mellifera, many varieties of mosquito
Q3 Q = Miscellaneous internet resources 3 = Unverified data of known source
-
Dissociation constant pKa) at 25 °C
-
-
-
-
Vapour pressure at 20 °C (mPa)
0.025
G4 G = Extension Toxicology network database EXTOXNET (click here ) 4 = Verified data
Low volatility
Henry's law constant at 25 °C (Pa m³ mol⁻¹)
8.43 X 10-01
V3 V = ChemID online databases / IPCS INCHEM (ChemID; IPCS INCHEM ) 3 = Unverified data of known source
Moderately volatile
Maximum UV-vis absorption L mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹
-
-
-
Surface tension (mN m⁻¹)
-
-
-
Degradation
Property
Value
Source; quality score; and other information
Interpretation
General biodegradability
-
Soil degradation (days) (aerobic)
DT₅₀ (typical)
6200
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Very persistent
DT₅₀ (lab at 20 °C)
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
DT₅₀ (field)
-
-
-
DT₉₀ (lab at 20 °C)
-
-
-
DT₉₀ (field)
-
-
-
DT₅₀ modelling endpoint
-
-
-
Note
Best available data, PIC DGD; DT₅₀; Other sources: DT₅₀ 3 months in tropical regions, 4-30 years temperate regions.
Dissipation rate RL₅₀ on plant matrix
Value
6.0
R4 R = Peer reviewed scientific publications 4 = Verified data
-
Note
Published literature RL₅₀ range 1.6-10.8 days, 4 field crops, various matrices, n=5
Dissipation rate RL₅₀ on and in plant matrix
Value
20.2
R4 R = Peer reviewed scientific publications 4 = Verified data
-
Note
Published literature RL₅₀ range 3.4-44.0 days, 8 field crops, various matrices, n=13
Aqueous photolysis DT₅₀ (days) at pH 7
Value
-
-
-
Note
-
Aqueous hydrolysis DT₅₀ (days) at 20 °C and pH 7
Value
-
-
-
Note
-
Water-sediment DT₅₀ (days)
-
-
-
Water phase only DT₅₀ (days)
-
-
-
Soil adsorption and mobility
Property
Value
Source; quality score; and other information
Interpretation
Linear
Kd
-
G3 G = Extension Toxicology network database EXTOXNET (click here ) 3 = Unverified data of known source
Non-mobile
Koc
151000
Notes and range
Log Koc given as 5.18
Freundlich
Kf
-
-
-
Kfoc
-
1/n
-
Notes and range
-
pH sensitivity
-
Fate indices
Property
Value
Source; quality score; and other information
Interpretation
GUS leaching potential index
-3.89
Calculated
Low leachability
SCI-GROW groundwater index (μg l⁻¹) for a 1 kg ha⁻¹ or 1 l ha⁻¹ application rate
Value
5.35 X 10-03
Calculated
-
Note
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
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 ) 5 = Verified data used for regulatory purposes
UK EA QS database 2018
-
Drinking Water MAC (μg l⁻¹)
-
-
-
Mammalian dose elimination route and rate
Mainly excreted in the urine but some also occurs by way of faeces (via biliary excretion)
R4 R = Peer reviewed scientific publications 4 = Verified data
-
Health issues
Specific human health issues
Carcinogen
Genotoxic
Endocrine disruptor
✓Yes, known to cause a problem
A3 A = Chromosome aberration (EFSA database) 3 = Negative
;
B0 B = DNA damage/repair (EFSA database) 0 = No data
;
C0 C = Gene mutation (EFSA database) 0 = No data
;
D0 D = Genome mutation (EFSA database) 0 = No data
;
E2 E = Unspecified genotoxicity type (miscellaneous data source) 2 = Mixed/ambiguous results
✓Yes, known to cause a problem
Reproduction / development effects
Acetyl cholinesterase inhibitor
Neurotoxicant
✓Yes, known to cause a problem
XNo, known not to cause a problem
✓Yes, known to cause a problem
Respiratory tract irritant
Skin irritant
Skin sensitiser
?Possibly, status not identified
XNo, known not to cause a problem
No data found
Eye irritant
Phototoxicant
XNo, known not to cause a problem
No data found
General human health issues
Highly toxic by ingestion, inhalation and via skin absorption Strong links with breast and womb cancer Endocrine issues - Competitive binding to androgen receptors
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
Environmental fate
