DDT has been a major pollutant because it

Options

A. Kills aquatic animals
B. Kills pests
C. Destroy many valuable species
D. Is nondegradable

Answer

**Step-by-Step Text Solution:**

1. **Understanding DDT**:
- DDT stands for dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane. It is a synthetic pesticide that was widely used for pest control.

2. **Identifying the Problem**:
- DDT has become a major environmental pollutant due to its persistence in the environment and its harmful effects on wildlife and humans.

3. **Biomagnification**:
- DDT is known to undergo biomagnification. This means that as it moves up the food chain, its concentration increases in the tissues of organisms. For example, small organisms that absorb DDT are eaten by larger organisms, and the DDT accumulates in their bodies.

4. **Non-degradability**:
- One of the key reasons DDT is a major pollutant is that it is non-degradable. This means that it does not break down easily in the environment or within the bodies of organisms. As a result, it remains in the ecosystem for a long time, continuing to accumulate in the food chain.

5. **Conclusion**:
- Although DDT kills pests and can harm aquatic animals and other species, its primary reason for being classified as a major pollutant is its non-degradability and the resulting biomagnification. Therefore, the correct answer to the question is that DDT has been a major pollutant because it is non-degradable.

**Final Answer**: DDT has been a major pollutant because it is non-degradable.

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