DDT and Atrazine in the US.

Dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane (DDT) and atrazine are powerful pesticides that are very toxic and have been banned from most countries. DDT was first manufactured in the 1940s during WWII. It was first very successful at yielding higher crops but ended up being toxic. Human health effects from DDT at low environmental doses are unknown but exposure to high doses can be lethal. Human symptoms can include vomiting, tremors or shakiness, and seizures. Laboratory animal studies showed effects on the liver and reproduction. DDT is considered a possible human carcinogen. This is the stuff that was on our food, how repulsive. DDT was outlawed in the US in 1972 but we still have various crops imported into the US from countries that use DDT on their crops. DDT has never gone away and we can still find trace amounts on our food today especially in fatty foods because DDT stores in fat. Atrazine is a very similar pesticide in the triazine class. Atrazine is mostly used on corn, sorghum, and golf courses. I personally do not want to eat something that they put on golf courses. Atrazine is banned in Europe, due to its potential to contaminate water sources, but is widely used in the U.S. The oral LD-50 for atrazine is 3090 mg/kg in rats, 1750 mg/kg in mice, 750 mg/kg in rabbits, and 1000 mg/kg in hamsters. The dermal LD-50 in rabbits is 7500 mg/kg and greater than 3000 mg/kg in rats. The oral LD-50 for DDT is 113 to 800 milligrams per kilogram of body weight or mg/kg The dermal LD-50 for DDT is 2,500 to 3,000 mg/kg. I personally do not want any pesticides on my food and I think using integrated pest management is a much better way to manage pests rather than spraying toxic chemicals.