bioaccumulation

noun

bio·​ac·​cu·​mu·​la·​tion ˌbī-(ˌ)ō-ə-ˌkyü-m(y)ə-ˈlā-shən 

: the accumulation over time of a substance and especially a contaminant (such as a pesticide or heavy metal) in a living organism

bioaccumulate

ˌbī-(ˌ)ō-ə-ˈkyü-m(y)ə-ˌlāt 

verb, transitive + intransitive

bioaccumulated; bioaccumulating; bioaccumulates

Oysters, like other bivalves, are sessile organisms that are continually filtering water, and they often bioaccumulate toxins …

—David C. Metzger

The chemical inertness of these compounds makes them useful for a variety of consumer and industrial products, but this property also means the compounds are persistent and can bioaccumulate.

—Stephen K. Ritter

bioaccumulative

ˌbī-(ˌ)ō-ə-ˈkyü-m(y)ə-ˌlā-tiv 

adjective

Persistent bioaccumulative pollutants pose the greatest chemical threat to sustainability.

—Science

Examples of bioaccumulation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

McDonough began by listing critical environmental concerns affecting human health that are caused by a variety of pollutants such as bioaccumulation, endocrine disruption, mutagenicity, reproductive toxicity and cancer. —Arthur Zaczkiewicz, WWD, 18 June 2024

Abyssal microplastics appear to sink from the surface of the open ocean, and polystyrene particles increase the bioaccumulation of SSRIs in brine shrimp. —Emily Harnett, Harper's Magazine, 26 Apr. 2024

Through the process of bioaccumulation in living organisms, PFAS chemicals and other micropollutants can build up over time, multiplying their harmful effects. —Cameron Pugh, The Christian Science Monitor, 5 Mar. 2024

So killer whales are some of the most toxic mammals on the planet, period, because of this bioaccumulation. —Dana Taylor, USA TODAY, 5 Jan. 2024

As apex predators, killer whales are subject to countless threats including pollution, bioaccumulation of microplastics, food shortages, habitat shrinking, and climate change. —Krista Simmons, Sunset Magazine, 29 Dec. 2023

Pollutants like these can become more prominent going up the food chain through a process called bioaccumulation. —Devika Rao, The Week, 7 July 2023

Now Thompson is looking for other examples of bioaccumulation. —Jeff Wheelwright, Discover Magazine, 6 Aug. 2017

This concept of bioaccumulation was later applied to other pollutants such as chemical pesticides. —Catherine Meyers, Discover Magazine, 17 July 2020

Word History

First Known Use

1956, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

bioaccumulation

noun

bio·​ac·​cu·​mu·​la·​tion ˌbī-ō-ə-ˌkyü-myə-ˈlā-shən 

: the accumulation of a substance (as a pesticide) in a living organism

bioaccumulate

-ə-ˈkyü-m(y)ə-ˌlāt 

verb

bioaccumulated; bioaccumulating

bioaccumulative

-ˌlāt-iv, -lət- 

adjective