bioakkumulative
Bioakkumulative, sometimes written as bioaccumulative, is an adjective used to describe chemicals or substances that accumulate in living organisms over time, often exceeding the rate at which the organism eliminates them. This accumulation occurs through multiple exposure routes, including direct uptake from air, water, or soil, and through dietary intake. Substances that are persistent, lipophilic, and resistant to metabolic breakdown are most likely to be bioakkumulative.
Once inside an organism, such compounds can concentrate in tissues such as fatty tissues, liver, or bones.
Quantitative measures include the bioconcentration factor (BCF) and the bioaccumulation factor (BAF), which compare tissue concentrations
Common examples of bioakkumulative substances include persistent organic pollutants like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and some chlorinated