Organ or Tissue Function
bioaccumulation
[ bahy-oh-uh-kyoo-myuh-ley-shuhn ]
Subclass of:
Absorption, Physiological
Definitions related to bioaccumulation:
  • An increase in the concentration of an exogenous substance in the tissues of organisms higher than surrounding ENVIRONMENT. Accumulation of such XENOBIOTICS at successively higher levels up the FOOD CHAIN is called biomagnification. Bioaccumulation of toxic chemicals (e.g., Lead and DDT) may result in CHEMICALLY-INDUCED DISORDERS.
    NLM Medical Subject Headings
    U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2025
  • Process by which a compound or its metabolites accumulates (is not excreted) in an organisms' tissues over the life span of the organism; concentration of the compound increases up the food chain.
    CRISP Thesaurus
    National Institutes of Health, 2006
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This content should not be used in place of medically-reviewed decision support reference material or professional medical advice. Some terms may have alternate or updated definitions not reflected in this set. The definitions on this page should not be considered complete or up to date.