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bioaccumulate

British  
/ ˌbaɪəʊəˈkjuːmʊˌleɪt /

verb

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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Example Sentences

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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 • May 29, 2025

There’s also evidence that these small particles bioaccumulate, or grow more concentrated as they move up the food chain from one organism to the next.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 8, 2024

Toxic dyes can also bioaccumulate in the fishes' fatty tissue, presenting health risks to humans and animals throughout the food chain.

From Science Daily • Oct. 26, 2023

The treaty identifies "persistent" chemicals — those that stay in the environment for a long time and can bioaccumulate up the food chain.

From Salon • Aug. 22, 2021

These plastic fibers have the potential to bioaccumulate, concentrating toxins in the bodies of larger animals, higher up the food chain.

From The Guardian • Jun. 20, 2016

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