More than 27,000 barrels, possibly containing DDT, have been found on the sea floor off Los Angeles

Marine scientists from the University of San Diego, California, They found it On the sea floor between Los Angeles and Santa Catelina Island, there are more than 27,000 barrels that appear to contain DDT, a substance known to be the first modern insecticide, before it was discovered that it could also pose a potential danger to other organisms. Scientists believe that DDT can be very harmful to the marine ecosystem and some types of mammals that live in that area, such as dolphins and sea lions.

It is still not entirely certain that the barrels contain DDT, but this substance was previously found in the same area. The images of the barrels were obtained by researchers from the Scripps Institute of Oceanography, one of the most important research centers for planet protection in the world, which is part of the University of San Diego. The sea floor covering an area of ​​approximately 1,500 square kilometers has been mapped using sonar, that is, devices that use sound propagation underwater to detect the presence of objects, and more than 100,000 debris of traceable material have also been found. This discovery will allow us to better understand the damage DDT can cause to the marine ecosystem.

Led by oceanographer Scripps, Eric Terrell, Scripps W. Embed a Tweet The researchers tracked an expedition aboard Embed a Tweet, By using robots to map the sea floor to conduct 24-hour, round-the-clock operations. pic.twitter.com/7EvgXLdD8y

Scripps Oceanographic Institute (Scripps_Ocean) April 26, 2021