bioaccumulation

Syllable breakdown

Dictionary meaning

the progressive increase in concentration of a persistent chemical substance in an organism's tissues over time as the organism absorbs the substance faster than it can eliminate it; occurs with fat-soluble compounds such as organochlorine pesticides including DDT and PCBs, heavy metals such as mercury and lead, and certain pharmaceuticals; when bioaccumulating substances pass through food chains, concentrations increase dramatically at each trophic level in a related process called biomagnification, which is why top predators such as eagles, dolphins, and humans can accumulate dangerously high levels of pollutants despite living in environments with relatively low concentrations