# DBT JRF 2020 — Question 7

Exam: DBT JRF 2020 · Section: B · Topic: Environmental Science · Difficulty: Easy

## Question

What is agent Orange?

## Options

- **A.** color used in fluorescent lamps
- **B.** herbicide containing dioxin
- **C.** hazardous chemical used in luminous paints
- **D.** biodegradable insecticide

## Answer

Option B

## Explanation

Agent Orange was a tactical herbicide/defoliant used extensively by the US military during the Vietnam War (1961–1971) under Operation Ranch Hand to destroy jungle canopy and crops. It was a 1:1 mixture of two herbicides: 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T). The 2,4,5-T component was contaminated with 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) — an extremely toxic persistent organic pollutant. TCDD exposure causes chloracne, cancer, birth defects, and immune/endocrine disruption. Agent Orange is named for the colour of the barrels it was stored in, not its chemical colour.

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