Paul Müller (biologist)

Paul Müller (born January 28, 1899, Olten, Switzerland; died October 12, 1965, Basel, Switzerland) was a Swiss chemist who received the 1948 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his 1939 discovery of the insecticidal properties and use of DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) in the control of disease vectors.

Müller studied chemistry at the University of Basel, earning his doctorate in 1925. He then worked as a researcher for Geigy (later Ciba-Geigy, now Novartis), a chemical company in Basel, where he remained for his entire career.

While searching for a long-lasting insecticide, Müller systematically tested hundreds of chemical compounds. He discovered that DDT was extremely effective against a wide range of insects, including flies, mosquitoes, and lice. Crucially, he found it exhibited long-lasting insecticidal properties, offering a significant advantage over existing insecticides.

DDT was widely used during World War II to control disease-carrying insects, significantly reducing the incidence of diseases such as malaria and typhus among soldiers and civilians. After the war, it was used extensively in agriculture and public health programs worldwide.

While DDT initially proved highly effective and contributed significantly to disease control and agricultural productivity, its widespread use led to concerns about its environmental impact. DDT is persistent in the environment, accumulates in the food chain, and can have harmful effects on wildlife, particularly birds. Its use has been linked to eggshell thinning in certain bird species, leading to population declines.

Due to these environmental concerns, the use of DDT has been severely restricted or banned in many countries, although it is still used in some regions for malaria control under strict guidelines and regulations.