Kalule’s views on DDT are baseless!
Jun 29, 2006
SIR — Rarely in my life have I read an author more misinformed than Mr. Fenekansi Kalule on the topic of DDT for control of malaria in Uganda.
SIR — Rarely in my life have I read an author more misinformed than Mr. Fenekansi Kalule on the topic of DDT for control of malaria in Uganda.
I make this statement from the perspective of more than 30 years of DDT
research. I presently conduct a multi-organisational research programme
to find a legitimate substitute for DDT to control malaria. Unlike
Kalule’s spurious claims, my views on DDT are derived not only from my
own experience in the field and research, but also from a systematic
review of peer-reviewed publications covering decades of DDT research.
Kalule states that DDT is dangerous and is not biodegradable. He is
wrong. DDT is only slightly more toxic to humans than some vitamins which are absolutely essential to good health. Nicotine found in the common cigarette is one hundred times more toxic than DDT. Hundreds of millions of homes have been sprayed with DDT since the Second World war and there has
not been a single recorded instance of harm to humans from that spraying
in any peer-reviewed journal I have ever read.
DDT is degraded by sunlight when suspended in air, and degraded
naturally within living organisms. The human body naturally breaks down DDT. Kalule’s description of DDT percolating in soil implies that
DDT moves with water through soil. This is incorrect. DDT is practically insoluble in water and hardly moves in soil at all. DDT is not picked up from the soil by plants and then passed on to humans. The
fact is fruits and plants accumulate DDT only if it is sprayed directly
on them which indoor spraying for malaria control completely
avoids. Kalule is profoundly wrong in stating that water is a good source of DDT. As stated, DDT is not soluble in water. Saturation is about two parts DDT per billion parts of water. Such proportions applied to time would equate to just two seconds in 32 years. There is no scientific proof that DDT causes abortions or offspring with abnormalities. Additionally, environmental exposures to DDT do not cause birds to lay eggs with transparent membranes instead of hard shells. In spite of
Kalule's beliefs, there is no evidence that DDT sprayed on house walls harms the environment, birds, other wildlife, or human health. There is, however, ample proof that DDT sprayed on house walls will protect
human health and prevent deaths from malaria.
Kalule’s views are baseless and ultimately destructive.
Donald R. Roberts Professor of Tropical Public Health
Bethesda, MD USA
I make this statement from the perspective of more than 30 years of DDT
research. I presently conduct a multi-organisational research programme
to find a legitimate substitute for DDT to control malaria. Unlike
Kalule’s spurious claims, my views on DDT are derived not only from my
own experience in the field and research, but also from a systematic
review of peer-reviewed publications covering decades of DDT research.
Kalule states that DDT is dangerous and is not biodegradable. He is
wrong. DDT is only slightly more toxic to humans than some vitamins which are absolutely essential to good health. Nicotine found in the common cigarette is one hundred times more toxic than DDT. Hundreds of millions of homes have been sprayed with DDT since the Second World war and there has
not been a single recorded instance of harm to humans from that spraying
in any peer-reviewed journal I have ever read.
DDT is degraded by sunlight when suspended in air, and degraded
naturally within living organisms. The human body naturally breaks down DDT. Kalule’s description of DDT percolating in soil implies that
DDT moves with water through soil. This is incorrect. DDT is practically insoluble in water and hardly moves in soil at all. DDT is not picked up from the soil by plants and then passed on to humans. The
fact is fruits and plants accumulate DDT only if it is sprayed directly
on them which indoor spraying for malaria control completely
avoids. Kalule is profoundly wrong in stating that water is a good source of DDT. As stated, DDT is not soluble in water. Saturation is about two parts DDT per billion parts of water. Such proportions applied to time would equate to just two seconds in 32 years. There is no scientific proof that DDT causes abortions or offspring with abnormalities. Additionally, environmental exposures to DDT do not cause birds to lay eggs with transparent membranes instead of hard shells. In spite of
Kalule's beliefs, there is no evidence that DDT sprayed on house walls harms the environment, birds, other wildlife, or human health. There is, however, ample proof that DDT sprayed on house walls will protect
human health and prevent deaths from malaria.
Kalule’s views are baseless and ultimately destructive.
Donald R. Roberts Professor of Tropical Public Health
Bethesda, MD USA