Bioaccumulation is the net accumulation of chemicals in an organism from all exposure routes (water, food, sediment, air) when uptake exceeds elimination, leading to concentrations higher than in the surrounding environment. It is quantitatively characterized by metrics such as the bioaccumulation factor (BAF), which relates organism concentration to ambient concentration at steady state. Bioaccumulation is influenced by physicochemical properties of contaminants (e.g., hydrophobicity, persistence), organism traits (lipid content, metabolic capacity), and environmental conditions. It is a central topic in ecotoxicology and environmental risk assessment, particularly for persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) substances and contaminants of emerging concern.
Svalbard reindeer live in a place so remote they have actually evolved to become a subspecies. But that remoteness isn't enough to protect them from contaminants from the industrial world.
Environment
Apr 9, 2026
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A new international study offers insights into the health risks posed by crops' absorption of "contaminants of emerging concern" (CECs) and flags knowledge gaps the authors say must be addressed. CECs include pharmaceuticals, ...
Agriculture
Apr 1, 2026
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A new paper investigates how raptors, or birds of prey like hawks and eagles, act as a sentinel species that can reveal the level of forever chemicals in the local environment. The forever chemicals, or PFAS, are especially ...
Environment
Mar 26, 2026
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13
A study published in The Journal of Wildlife Management found varying risks to species due to mercury pollution across the United States' National Wildlife Refuge System, the world's largest network of lands and waters conserved ...
Plants & Animals
Mar 25, 2026
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8
An estimated 500 million to 1 billion people worldwide are affected by selenium deficiency, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Researchers at Wageningen University & Research (WUR), working with the University ...
Plants & Animals
Mar 22, 2026
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A study conducted by researchers at the Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture at the University of São Paulo (CENA-USP) and published in the journal Environmental Sciences Europe identified residues of different classes ...
Ecology
Mar 20, 2026
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14
For riverside communities along the Amazon, fish is not a menu choice—it is a lifeline. Millions of people in the Brazilian Amazon depend on fish as their primary source of protein, consuming it daily in quantities far above ...
A study published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology has revealed the toxic "forever chemical," PFOS, can accumulate in exposed honeybee colonies and transfer to their honey, threatening pollinator viability, ...
Environment
Feb 26, 2026
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67
In her 1962 book, "Silent Spring," American biologist Rachel Carson revealed that DDT, a widely used pesticide at the time, was responsible for the mass death of birds, including the iconic bald eagle. One reason was that ...
Environment
Feb 9, 2026
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21
The bioconcentration factor shows the concentration of chemical substances in fish as compared to the surrounding water. It is the standard measure for determining the bioaccumulation of chemicals in the environment.
Environment
Jan 13, 2026
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