A Study on the Concept of Bio-Magnification

Understanding the impact of bio-magnification on ecological systems

Abstract

Bio-magnification also knownas bio-amplification or biological magnification occurs when the concentration of a substance, suchas DDT ormercury, in an organism exceeds the backgroundconcentration of the substance in its diet. This increase can occur as aresult of: Persistence – where the substance can't be broken down by environmentalprocesses. Food chain energetics –where the substance concentration increases progressively as it moves up a foodchain. Low or non-existent rate of internal degradation or excretion of thesubstance – often due to water-insolubility.