Bioaccumulation

Content

Bioaccumulation Biomagnification Bioaccumulation vs Biomagnification What types of substances

bioaccumulate and which do not? Concentration of DDT in tissue Concentration of mercury in fish

Bioaccumulation Definition: The accumulation (gradual

gathering) of substances transferring from the environment into an organism.

Types of Substances that can accumulate: Nutrients, Toxins, Pesticides, Organic and Inorganic Compounds and Elements (such as mercury), and other pollutants.

Bioaccumulation

How substances can get from the environment into an organism:

Food intake (can eat something from environment that contains substance)

Respiration (breathing it in) Skin Contact

Bioaccumulation

Example of Pesticides: DDT (chemical)

Example of naturally occurring elements: MERCURY (low concentrations can cause

Link to Resource

http://www.nwf.org/Wildlife/Wildlife-Conservation/Food-Webs.aspx

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxqDaTUh08o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5P-UoKLxlA

”Madd as a hatter”

BiomagnificationSubstances such as pollutants become

concentrated as you move up the food chain

Energy passes through the food chain

Energy is lost as you move up the Food Pyramid

Levels of toxins and harmful substances can increase as you move up the Food Pyramid

Bioaccumulation vs Biomagnification

Both describe the increase of the amount of a substance in an organism (1,3)

Bioaccumulation occur within a single organism (1)

Biomagnification occurs across trophic levels (3)

Concentration of DDT in tissue

•How does it pass through a food chain

•Used as a pesticide – from insects to fish, birds and then larger animals

Mercury in Fish

Fish absorb mercury efficiently

Larger fish eat many small fish and build up higher levels of mercury

Some have been banned for

consumption for they present a toxic risk

Works cited

1. "Bioaccumulation". Wikipedia. 13.06.2010 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioaccumulation>.

2. "Bioaccumulation". Toxics US Gov. 13.06.2010 <http://toxics.usgs.gov/definitions/bioaccumulation.html>. http://www.marietta.edu/~biol/102/2bioma95.html

3. "Biomagnification and Bioaccumulation". Tripod. 13.06.2010 <http://domchemct.tripod.com/index.html>. http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Example_of_biomagnification

4. "Biomagnification". 13.06.2010 <http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/D/DDTandTrophicLevels.html >. http://www.dowcorning.com/content/publishedlit/01-1128-01.pdf

5. "Environmental Biology - Ecosystems ". 13.06.2010 <http://www.marietta.edu/~biol/102/ecosystem.html>. http://www.pollutionissues.com/A-Bo/Bioaccumulation.html

6. "Food Chain/Biomagnification". 13.06.2010 <http://science.jrank.org/pages/2801/Food-Chain-Web-Biomagnification.html>.