Definition of "bioaccumulation" []

• The accumulation of a substance, such as a toxic chemical, in various tissues of a living organism: the bioaccumulation of mercury in fish. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "Also, there is no evidence that any of the oil or dispersant components are being taken up by smaller organisms, and then built up in concentrations in larger organisms - a process called bioaccumulation, Guidry said."
• "This compound increases in concentration as it moves up the food chain, via a process known as bioaccumulation, leaving animals at the top of the system, like polar bears, with a highly toxic meal."
• "The effect of this 'bioaccumulation' is well known, and has led to dietary fish restriction recommendations from the EPA and the, FDA."