Bibliography
Day, J. W., Crump, B. C., Kemp, M. W., and Yáñez-Arancibia, A.,
2012. Estuarine Ecology, 2nd edn. Hoboken: Wiley-Blackwell.
Levinton, J. S., 2009. Marine Biology: Function, Biodiversity,
Ecology, 3rd edn. New York: Oxford University Press.
Miller, C. B., 2004. Biological Oceanography. Malden: Blackwell
Science.
Odum, E. P., 1971. Fundamentals of Ecology, 3rd edn. Philadelphia:
W.B. Saunders.
Websters II New Riverside University Dictionary. 1994. Boston:
Riverside Publishing Company.
Cross-references
Biogenic Sedimentary Structures
Infauna
Macrofauna
Meiofauna
Microphytobenthos
Nutrient Dynamics
Oyster Reef
Soft Sediment Communities
BIOACCUMULATION
Monica Ferreira da Costa
1
, Helena do Amaral Kehrig
2 and
Isabel Maria Neto da Silva Moreira
3
1
Oceanography Department, Federal University of
Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
2
Laboratório de Ciências Ambientais, CBB, Universidade
Estadual do Norte Fluminense, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
3
Departamento de Química, Pontifícia Universidade
Católica do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Definition
The accumulation of contaminants, pollutants, and/or their
metabolites into animal or plant tissues along a period of
time which typically represents the degree of exposure of
the individual to the chemical element, species, or compound present in the environment where it lives.
Fundamentals
Contaminants, pollutants, and their environmental metabolites (chemical agents) can be found in all the different
biogeochemical compartments (air, water, soil/sediment).
These agents can be both organic and inorganic. The accumulation of a chemical agent by living organisms depends
on the fraction of it that is chemically and physically available to the biota. The chemical form of contaminants and
pollutants present in the environment will define the pathway, higher or lower uptake of the chemical agent by
the organisms, and consequently its bioaccumulation.
Bioaccumulation is therefore a natural phenomenon that
becomes even more relevant when the chemical element
or compound in question is distributed in the environment
in concentrations above its natural level or, in the case of
synthetic compounds, is present even in minimum
amounts (Clark, 2001).
Contaminants and pollutants are present in the air, soil/
sediments, and water of every environment on the surface
of the Earth, where they arrive via direct release or shortto long-range transportation. The biota is then inevitably
exposed to environmental contaminants and pollutants
released by every economic and social activity known.
All biological groups present will, in theory, be exposed
(Chen et al., 2012; Melwani et al., 2013). However, their
susceptibilities vary according to taxonomic group and
ecological function. This exposure means that there will
be (in)direct contact of the chemical with the individuals
and therefore biochemical interaction between them. For
an element or chemical compound to be bioaccumulated,
it must be first incorporated via one of the biological processes of respiration, feeding/digestion, or skin absorption
(Clark, 2001). Through respiration, contaminated water or
air enters in contact with tissues specialized in efficient
gaseous exchanges (i.e., gills or lungs). This facilitates
the passage of the contaminant through cell membranes
and vascular walls, from which it gains the circulatory system and is distributed throughout the body. The most common (and efficient) way for an aquatic animal or plant to
assimilate and accumulate elements and compounds in
their tissues is via feeding and digestion of contaminated
food sources (Chen et al., 2012; Melwani et al., 2013).
If food is contaminated with toxic/harmful chemicals, it
can, during digestion, release then in the digestive tract.
Therefore, the pollutant is absorbed through the intestine
walls, together with nutrients, and also falls into the circulatory system to be distributed. Accumulation of such elements and chemicals occurs preferentially in the different
tissues of plants and animals. Some tissues have functions,
structures, and compositions more prone to the accumulation of different elements and compounds. Some examples are the liver, kidney, brain, and fat tissues.
Bioaccumulation is, to a certain extent, reversible. If
exposure ceases, metabolism can eventually excrete the
accumulated chemical back to the environment.
Bioaccumulation is a biological phenomenon related to
each individual and can be examined at tissue level when
necessary. It is worthy of note that the bioaccumulation
concept refers to the tendency of a certain chemical agent
to be accumulated by the biota through all sources of
ambient, i.e., by water and food. Bioaccumulation differs
from bioconcentration since bioconcentration refers to
the tendency of a certain chemical agent to be accumulated
by biota only from the water.
Bibliography
Chen, C. Y., Driscoll, C. T., Lambert, K. F., Mason, R. P., Rardin,
L. R., Schmitt, C. V., Serrell, N. S., and Sunderland, E. M.,
2012. Sources to Seafood: Mercury Pollution in the Marine
Environment. Hanover: Toxic Metals Superfund Research
Program, Dartmouth College.
Clark, R. B., 2001. Marine Pollution. Oxford: OUP.
74
BIOACCUMULATION
Day, J. W., Crump, B. C., Kemp, M. W., and Yáñez-Arancibia, A.,
2012. Estuarine Ecology, 2nd edn. Hoboken: Wiley-Blackwell.
Levinton, J. S., 2009. Marine Biology: Function, Biodiversity,
Ecology, 3rd edn. New York: Oxford University Press.
Miller, C. B., 2004. Biological Oceanography. Malden: Blackwell
Science.
Odum, E. P., 1971. Fundamentals of Ecology, 3rd edn. Philadelphia:
W.B. Saunders.
Websters II New Riverside University Dictionary. 1994. Boston:
Riverside Publishing Company.
Cross-references
Biogenic Sedimentary Structures
Infauna
Macrofauna
Meiofauna
Microphytobenthos
Nutrient Dynamics
Oyster Reef
Soft Sediment Communities
BIOACCUMULATION
Monica Ferreira da Costa
1
, Helena do Amaral Kehrig
2 and
Isabel Maria Neto da Silva Moreira
3
1
Oceanography Department, Federal University of
Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
2
Laboratório de Ciências Ambientais, CBB, Universidade
Estadual do Norte Fluminense, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
3
Departamento de Química, Pontifícia Universidade
Católica do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Definition
The accumulation of contaminants, pollutants, and/or their
metabolites into animal or plant tissues along a period of
time which typically represents the degree of exposure of
the individual to the chemical element, species, or compound present in the environment where it lives.
Fundamentals
Contaminants, pollutants, and their environmental metabolites (chemical agents) can be found in all the different
biogeochemical compartments (air, water, soil/sediment).
These agents can be both organic and inorganic. The accumulation of a chemical agent by living organisms depends
on the fraction of it that is chemically and physically available to the biota. The chemical form of contaminants and
pollutants present in the environment will define the pathway, higher or lower uptake of the chemical agent by
the organisms, and consequently its bioaccumulation.
Bioaccumulation is therefore a natural phenomenon that
becomes even more relevant when the chemical element
or compound in question is distributed in the environment
in concentrations above its natural level or, in the case of
synthetic compounds, is present even in minimum
amounts (Clark, 2001).
Contaminants and pollutants are present in the air, soil/
sediments, and water of every environment on the surface
of the Earth, where they arrive via direct release or shortto long-range transportation. The biota is then inevitably
exposed to environmental contaminants and pollutants
released by every economic and social activity known.
All biological groups present will, in theory, be exposed
(Chen et al., 2012; Melwani et al., 2013). However, their
susceptibilities vary according to taxonomic group and
ecological function. This exposure means that there will
be (in)direct contact of the chemical with the individuals
and therefore biochemical interaction between them. For
an element or chemical compound to be bioaccumulated,
it must be first incorporated via one of the biological processes of respiration, feeding/digestion, or skin absorption
(Clark, 2001). Through respiration, contaminated water or
air enters in contact with tissues specialized in efficient
gaseous exchanges (i.e., gills or lungs). This facilitates
the passage of the contaminant through cell membranes
and vascular walls, from which it gains the circulatory system and is distributed throughout the body. The most common (and efficient) way for an aquatic animal or plant to
assimilate and accumulate elements and compounds in
their tissues is via feeding and digestion of contaminated
food sources (Chen et al., 2012; Melwani et al., 2013).
If food is contaminated with toxic/harmful chemicals, it
can, during digestion, release then in the digestive tract.
Therefore, the pollutant is absorbed through the intestine
walls, together with nutrients, and also falls into the circulatory system to be distributed. Accumulation of such elements and chemicals occurs preferentially in the different
tissues of plants and animals. Some tissues have functions,
structures, and compositions more prone to the accumulation of different elements and compounds. Some examples are the liver, kidney, brain, and fat tissues.
Bioaccumulation is, to a certain extent, reversible. If
exposure ceases, metabolism can eventually excrete the
accumulated chemical back to the environment.
Bioaccumulation is a biological phenomenon related to
each individual and can be examined at tissue level when
necessary. It is worthy of note that the bioaccumulation
concept refers to the tendency of a certain chemical agent
to be accumulated by the biota through all sources of
ambient, i.e., by water and food. Bioaccumulation differs
from bioconcentration since bioconcentration refers to
the tendency of a certain chemical agent to be accumulated
by biota only from the water.
Bibliography
Chen, C. Y., Driscoll, C. T., Lambert, K. F., Mason, R. P., Rardin,
L. R., Schmitt, C. V., Serrell, N. S., and Sunderland, E. M.,
2012. Sources to Seafood: Mercury Pollution in the Marine
Environment. Hanover: Toxic Metals Superfund Research
Program, Dartmouth College.
Clark, R. B., 2001. Marine Pollution. Oxford: OUP.
74
BIOACCUMULATION