adjective
- Describing a substance that builds up in the tissues of living organisms over time, especially through the food chain.
Usage: commonly used in environmental and scientific contexts
verb
- Present participle of bioaccumulate; the process of a chemical or pollutant gradually increasing in concentration within an organism or ecosystem.
Usage: technical/scientific usage
Examples
- Mercury is a bioaccumulating toxin that poses serious health risks to fish and humans who consume them.
- Plastic microparticles are bioaccumulating in marine life at alarming rates.
- The pesticide DDT was banned because it was bioaccumulating in the environment and harming bird populations.
- Heavy metals are bioaccumulating in the soil near the industrial site.
- Scientists are studying how persistent organic pollutants are bioaccumulating through the food web.
- Bioaccumulating substances become more concentrated at higher levels of the food chain.