Biomagnification

{
  "id": "MLC-T-ENV-003282",
  "term": "Biomagnification",
  "field": "Environment",
  "definition": "1. Result of the process of bioaccumulation and biotransfer by which tissue concentrations of chemicals in organisms at one trophic level exceed tissue concentrations in organisms at the next lower trophic level in a food chain.\n\n2. Biomagnification is the increase of tissue accumulation in species higher in the natural food chain as contaminated food species are eaten.\n\n3. Bioaccumulation is the general term describing a process by which chemicals are taken up by a plant or animal either directly from exposure to a contaminated medium (soil, sediment, water) or by eating food containing the chemical. Related terms are bioconcentration in which chemicals are absorbed by an animal or plant to levels higher than the surrounding environment; and biomagnification, in which chemical levels in plants or animals increase from transfer through the food web (e.g., predators have greater concentrations of a particular chemical than their prey).\n\n4. The increased accumulation and concentration of a contaminant at higher levels of the food chain; organisms higher on the food chain will have larger amounts of contaminants than those lower on the food chain, because the contaminants are not eliminated or broken down into other chemicals within the organisms.\n\n5. The process whereby certain substances, such as pesticides or heavy metals, transfer up the food chain and increase in concentration. For example, a biomagnifying chemical deposited in rivers or lakes absorbs to algae, which are ingested by aquatic organisms, such as small fish, which are in turn eaten by larger fish, eating birds, terrestrial wildlife, or humans. The chemical tends to accumulate to higher concentration levels with each successive food chain level.\n\n6. The increase of tissue accumulation in species higher in the natural food chain as contaminated food species are eaten.\n\n7. The process whereby certain substances, such as pesticides or heavy metals, transfer up the food chain and increase in concentration. For example, a biomagnifying chemical deposited in rivers or lakes absorbs to algae, which are ingested by aquatic organisms, such as small fish, which are in turn eaten by larger fish, eating birds, terrestrial wildlife, or humans. The chemical tends to accumulate to higher concentration levels with each successive food chain level. [EPA 2004]\n\n8. Biomagnification or trophic-level transfer refers to bioaccumulated contaminants that might be transferred up the food chain.",
  "subject": "Chemicals, toxics and pesticides",
  "see_also": [
    "Biological Magnification"
  ],
  "references": [
    "Waste and Cleanup Risk Assessment Glossary",
    "Pesticides Glossary; EPA 2005e",
    "Ecological Risk Assessment Glossary of Terms",
    "Contaminated Sediments Glossary & Acronyms; Contaminated Sediments Glossary and Acronyms",
    "EPA 2004",
    "Pesticides Glossary",
    "Thesaurus of Terms Used in Microbial Risk Assessment",
    "ExpoBox Terminology; EPA ExpoBox Terminology"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/environment/biomagnification/"
}