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12-03-2012, 11:27 AM
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#1 |
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 Biomagnification Facts
Bio-magnification (or bio-accumulation) refers to the ability of living organisms to accumulate certain chemicals to a concentration larger than that occurring in their inorganic, non-living environment, or in the case of animals, in the food that they eat.
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12-03-2012, 11:28 AM
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#2 |
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Organisms are exposed to a myriad of chemicals in their environment. Some of these chemicals occur in trace concentrations in the environment, and yet they may be selectively accumulated by organisms to much larger concentrations that can cause toxicity. This tendency represents bio-magnification.
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12-03-2012, 11:29 AM
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#3 |
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Some of the bio-magnified chemicals are elements such as selenium, mercury, nickel, or organic derivatives such as methyl-mercury. Others are in the class of chemicals known as chlorinated hydrocarbons (or organo-chlorines). These are extremely insoluble in water, but are freely soluble in organic solvents, including animal fats and plant oils (these are collectively known as lipids).
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12-03-2012, 11:30 AM
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#4 |
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Food-web accumulation is a special case of bio-magnification, in which certain chemicals occur in their largest ecological concentration in predators at the top of the food web. Within food webs, bio-magnifying chemicals such as DDT, dieldrin, and PCBs have their largest concentrations, and cause the greatest damage, in top predators.
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