Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
bioaccumulation

bioaccumulation

1 7.7
A slow increase of harmful chemicals in living things over time
  • noun
  • /ˌbaɪoʊˌækjuːməˈleɪʃən/
  • Specialized
: bioacumulación
  • Unfortunately for the region's sport fishing industry (and the residents), bioaccumulation of persistent toxic substances in the food web of the Lake Ontario ecosystem continues to be a significant problem.
  • bioaccumulation and toxicity
  • persistence and bioaccumulation
  • bioaccumulation in aquatic

And this is the concern bioaccumulation.

Examples

  • The bioaccumulation of toxins in the food chain has been known in the scientific community for years.

    Academic text (2004)

  • And the process of bioaccumulation then is in the environment, it's fairly evenly distributed.

  • Marlowe and Trathen used hair as an indicator of lead bioaccumulation in children.

    Academic text (2001)

  • Research sampling tissues in Arctic animals first revealed the bioaccumulation of chemical pollutants in the local food chains of relatively nonindustrial regions.

    Academic text (2004)

  • The bioaccumulation of these chemicals, however, has been aggravated by the introduction of zebra mussels and reductions in alewife populations.

    Academic text (1997)

  • The bioaccumulation of harmful chemicals in fish can pose serious health risks to those who consume them.

  • Studies show that bioaccumulation of toxins occurs in various species as they ingest contaminated food over time.

  • The impact of bioaccumulation on wildlife is a growing concern among environmental scientists.

Antonyms

bioremediation
  • Specialized
1 7.4

Using living things like bacteria and plants to clean polluted soil and water

How Much

toxicity
  • Specialized
38 7.2
bioaccumulation
  • Specialized
1 7.7
contamination
  • Specialized
100 4.8

Surface Forms

bioaccumulation singular
bioaccumulations plural

Morphology

bioaccumulation = accumulation (semi-transparent) = bio + accumulate + ion

The word is built compositionally from the scientific prefix bio- plus accumulation, but the specialized technical meaning is not fully obvious to an average learner.

Etymology

The word bioaccumulation joins bio- 'life' and accumulation 'a build-up', so think of it as a 'build-up in living things'. It means the slow gathering of harmful chemicals or toxins inside animals and plants over time.