Date of Award

2026

Document Type

Thesis

Department

Microbiology, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry

Mentor

Dr. Stefka Eddins

Abstract

Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, commonly known as DDT, was an organochlorine pesticide widely used in the mid-20th century. It is highly stable and resistant to degradation, leading to its long-term presence in the environment. This chemical bioaccumulates in ecosystems and in human tissue, particularly adipose tissue, raising concerns about chronic exposure. Emerging research links DDT exposure to adverse neurological outcomes, including increased risk for neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s Disease. Mechanistically, DDT and its metabolites may disrupt dopaminergic neurons, induce oxidative stress, and interfere with mitochondrial function, contributing to neurotoxicity. Understanding the environmental fate of DDT and its bioaccumulative properties is essential for assessing long-term human health risks. This thesis synthesizes current evidence on DDT’s persistence, pathways of human exposure, and the potential mechanisms linking environmental exposure to neurological disease, specifically Parkinson’s Disease, highlighting the enduring public health implications of this once widely used pesticide

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License

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