HealthAugust 2, 2026
biomagnification
BY-oh-mag-nuh-fih-KAY-shun
Definition
The process by which the concentration of pollutants, such as toxins or microplastics, increases as they move up through successive trophic levels in a food chain.
Etymology
The word combines the Greek 'bios' (life) and the Latin 'magnificare' (to make large). It was coined in the mid-20th century to describe the scientific phenomenon of rising toxin levels in food webs.
In the news
The article mentions biomagnification to explain how microplastics move from smaller organisms like plankton to larger fish and eventually to humans, accumulating in higher concentrations at the top of the food chain.
Microplastics in fish: A growing threat to Bangladesh’s public health
Read the full article ↗The Daily Star