bioaccumulation
BY-oh-uh-KYU-myuh-LAY-shun
Definition
The process by which the concentration of a chemical or pollutant in an organism gradually increases over time as it absorbs the substance faster than it can excrete it.
Etymology
The word is a hybrid of the Greek 'bios' (life) and the Latin 'accumulare' (to heap up). It emerged in the 20th century as a technical term in ecology to describe the buildup of substances within living tissues.
In the news
The article uses the term to describe how microplastics, once ingested by small organisms, can build up in the bodies of fish and eventually concentrate at higher levels in the food chain. This is significant because it explains how even small amounts of pollutants can eventually reach higher, more dangerous levels in the organisms humans consume.
Microplastics in fish: A growing threat to Bangladesh’s public health
Read the full article ↗The Daily Star