When Toxic Chemicals Enter the Environment, There Is a Good

Essay

When toxic chemicals enter the environment, there is a good chance that they will fid their way into food chains and food webs. Such was the case with DDT, a chemical that was used to control mosquitoes before it was banned in 1972. The processes that proved DDT to be so dangerous could be manifested in other substances like heavy metals, other pesticides and radioactive isotopes. Use the example of DDT to explain why these chemicals can have such far-reaching effects, making sure you use the terms bioaccumulation, persistence, and biological magnification.