What is bioaccumulation?

Bioaccumulation refers to the process by which an organism accumulates substances, particularly pollutants, from its environment at a rate faster than it can eliminate them. This leads to an increased concentration of these substances in the organism's body over time. This can occur with various types of pollutants, such as heavy metals (like mercury), pesticides, or other harmful chemicals that are persistent in the environment. The significance of bioaccumulation lies in its implications for the health of organisms at different levels of the food web, since higher trophic level organisms can accumulate even larger quantities of these harmful substances through biomagnification, posing serious risks to human health and ecosystem stability.