bioaccumulating
Building up biologically
Bioaccumulating describes substances that build up in living organisms faster than they can be eliminated.
Pesticides, heavy metals, and certain industrial chemicals bioaccumulate in tissue over time, concentrating as they move up the food chain: Mercury bioaccumulating in fish poses risks to humans who eat them.
The process itself is bioaccumulation.
Liquid metallic element
- leadDense metal, symbol Pb
- cadmiumElement forty-eight
- arsenicToxic metalloid element
- DDTBanned chlorinated insecticide
PCBs · dioxins · heavy metals · microplastics · methylmercury · PFAS · flame retardants · chlordane
Toxins accumulating through food chains
- food chainEcological feeding hierarchy
- apex predatorsDominant hunters, no natural enemies
- concentrationSustained single-minded attention
- amplificationIncrease in intensity
predators · fat-soluble · lipophilic · secondary consumers · prey · eagles · tuna · sharks
Photosynthetic aquatic drifters
- zooplanktonDrifting aquatic microorganisms
- filter feedersOrganisms sieving food from water
- shellfishAquatic creatures with exoskeletons
- musselsEdible marine bivalves
oysters · clams · fish · algae · benthos · krill · sardines · herring
Capacity to cause harm
- poisoningHarmful substance exposure
- reproductive harmDamage to fertility or offspring
- immunosuppressionReduced bodily defense activation
- Minamata diseaseNeurological mercury poisoning condition
population decline · biomarkers · lethal dose · chronic exposure · behavioral changes · mortality · morbidity · tissue damage
mercury
Liquid metallic element
DDT · PCBs · dioxins · heavy metals · microplastics · methylmercury · PFAS · flame retardants · chlordane · selenium
biomagnification
Toxins accumulating through food chains
- food chainEcological feeding hierarchy
- apex predatorsDominant hunters, no natural enemies
- concentrationSustained single-minded attention
amplification · predators · fat-soluble · lipophilic · secondary consumers · prey · eagles · tuna · sharks · seals
phytoplankton
Photosynthetic aquatic drifters
- zooplanktonDrifting aquatic microorganisms
- filter feedersOrganisms sieving food from water
- shellfishAquatic creatures with exoskeletons
mussels · oysters · clams · fish · algae · benthos · krill · sardines · herring · salmon
toxicity
Capacity to cause harm
- poisoningHarmful substance exposure
- reproductive harmDamage to fertility or offspring
- immunosuppressionReduced bodily defense activation
Minamata disease · population decline · biomarkers · lethal dose · chronic exposure · behavioral changes · mortality · morbidity · tissue damage
bioaccumulatingbiodegrading
Breaking down naturally
excreting · short-lived · metabolizing · clearing · eliminating
bioaccumulatingbreaking down
Stopping working properly
dissipating · attenuating · dispersing · mineralizing · photodegrading