biomagnifikációt

Biomagnifikáció, also known as bioamplification or ecological magnification, is the increasing concentration of a substance, such as a toxic chemical, in organisms at successively higher levels in a food chain. This process occurs when an organism ingests or absorbs a substance at a rate faster than that at which it is lost by catabolism and excretion. As a result, the substance accumulates in the organism's tissues.

When a predator consumes prey that contains accumulated substances, the predator ingests all the accumulated material from its prey. If the predator consumes multiple prey items over time, the concentration of the substance can become significantly higher in the predator than in its prey. This effect is amplified at each trophic level. For example, a small fish might ingest a pollutant from plankton. A larger fish that eats many small fish will accumulate a higher concentration of the pollutant. Finally, a bird of prey or a human at the top of the food chain could ingest a very high concentration of the pollutant.

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs), heavy metals like mercury and lead, and certain pesticides are common examples of substances that undergo biomagnification. These substances are often fat-soluble, meaning they are stored in the fatty tissues of organisms and are not easily excreted. This persistence allows them to build up in the food chain over time, leading to potentially toxic levels in top predators, including humans. The consequences can include reproductive problems, developmental issues, and even death. Understanding biomagnification is crucial for environmental management and public health.