Killer whale crisis: DDT disrupts hormones

Killer whales, as apex predators with long lifespans, are prone to accumulating high levels of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) like DDTs in their bodies, raising concerns about the potential impacts. DDTs were widely used as insecticides, but are now banned in many countries due to their adverse effects on the environment and wildlife. However, DDTs persist in the environment and accumulate in organisms throughout the food chain, leading to particularly high concentrations in top predators like killer whales.