Which are the correct statements for DDT?
A. DDT was the first chlorinated organic insecticide.
B. DDT is metabolized very rapidly by animals.
C. The use of DDT was banned in the United States in 1973.
D. There are total 6 chlorine atoms in DDT.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → A and C only
DDT (p,p′-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) is a very stable chlorinated insecticide. Its formula is \( \ce{C14H9Cl5} \): two chlorine atoms on the benzene rings and three in the \( \ce{CCl3} \) group.
A. DDT was the first chlorinated organic insecticide. — Correct. It was first prepared in 1873, and its use as an insecticide was discovered in 1939.
B. DDT is metabolized very rapidly by animals. — Incorrect. It is not metabolised rapidly; it is stored in fatty tissues.
C. The use of DDT was banned in the United States in 1973. — Correct. Because it is not broken down and builds up in fatty tissues and food chains, its use was banned in the USA in 1973.
D. There are total 6 chlorine atoms in DDT. — Incorrect. DDT has 5 chlorine atoms.
NCERT (2026-27 edition):
p,p′-Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT)
