verb
- to accumulate and concentrate in living organisms, especially through the food chain, over time
Usage: third-person singular present tense of bioaccumulate; commonly used in environmental science and toxicology
Examples
- Mercury bioaccumulates in fish, making them unsafe to eat in large quantities.
- Plastic microparticles bioaccumulate in marine animals over many years.
- The pesticide bioaccumulates in the tissues of predators at the top of the food chain.
- Heavy metals bioaccumulate in soil and can be absorbed by crops.
- DDT bioaccumulates in organisms because it breaks down very slowly in the environment.
- When a toxin bioaccumulates, even low environmental levels can become dangerous to wildlife.