bioaccumulate

British  

/ ˌbaɪəʊəˈkjuːmʊˌleɪt /

verb

1. (of substances, esp toxins) to build up within the tissues of organisms

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Other Word Forms

• bioaccumulation noun

Example Sentences

Small fish including anchovies and sardines ingest the toxic algae, which then bioaccumulate in larger marine mammals that eat the fish.

From Los Angeles Times

“There’s a layer of heavy metals now on the soil, and I don’t know what’s going to happen. Is it going to be washed away? Is it going to penetrate to the groundwater? Is it going to concentrate and bioaccumulate?” he said.

From Los Angeles Times

“It’s really concerning when you think about flame retardants, because they’re known to bioaccumulate in our bodies,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times

A group of fluorinated chemical compounds, they are resistant to degradation, bioaccumulate in tissues, and are highly mobile in the environment.

From Salon

Mercury is one of the most toxic elements in marine systems and can bioaccumulate and biomagnify through marine food webs.

From Science Daily