Q1. [1] § 13.2 HOW DO OUR ACTIVITIES AFFECT THE ENVIRONMENT?
Which of the following is a non-biodegradable pollutant ?
- (A) Paper
- (B) DDT
- (C) Wood
- (D) Vegetable peel
Previously asked in CBSE board exam
2026 31/5/1 Q6
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-15 06:41 · grounding rag
Model Answer
(B) DDT
DDT is a non-biodegradable pollutant; it cannot be broken down by biological processes and persists in the environment for a long time.
Explanation
- Paper, wood, and vegetable peels are biodegradable — they are broken down by bacteria/saprophytes.
- DDT (a pesticide) is a classic example of a non-biodegradable substance; it also causes biological magnification as it accumulates up the food chain.
- The textbook (Ch. 13) defines non-biodegradable substances as those not broken down by biological processes and which persist in the environment.
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