Question

Why is milk a potent carrier of DDT? Would you expect the skimmed milk to have higher amount of DDT? To which group of pesticides does DDT belong?

Answer 1

Dichloro Diphenyl Trichloroethane is a synthetic insecticide belonging to the family of organic halogen compounds. It is used to increase agricultural production and to reduce disease vectors (carriers). DDT is relatively inert and stable, and is nearly insoluble in water. This combination of attributes allows it to be stored easily in fat and hence milk can be a potent carrier of DDT as milk shows presence of fat. Skimmed milk is when all the fat or cream is removed from the milk and hence it would have lower amount of DDT.