'aldrin' originates from the name of the German chemist 'Kurt Alder', who was involved in the development of the Diels-Alder reaction, a chemical process related to the synthesis of aldrin.

'aldrin' was developed as a synthetic insecticide in the mid-20th century and became widely used before its environmental impact was fully understood.

Initially, it was used as an effective insecticide, but over time it evolved into a symbol of environmental concern due to its persistence and toxicity.