The importance of trophic transfer in the bioaccumulation of chemical contaminants in aquatic ecosystems

Toxicological Profile for Zinc

“…POTENTIAL FOR HUMAN EXPOSURE enrichment in oysters may be due to their ingestion of particulate matter containing higher concentrations of zinc than ambient water. Other investigators have also indicated that organisms associated with sediments have higher zinc concentrations than organisms living in the aqueous layer (Biddinger and Gloss 1984). With respect to bioconcentration from soil by terrestrial plants, invertebrates, and mammals, BCFs of 0.4, 8, and 0.6, respectively, have been reported.…”

“…Zinc can accumulate in freshwater animals at 51-1,130 times the concentration present in the water (EPA 1987c). Microcosm studies indicate, in general, that zinc does not biomagnify through food chains (Biddinger and Gloss 1984;EPA 1979d;Hegstrom and West 1989). Furthermore, although zinc actively bioaccumulates in aquatic systems, biota appears to represent a relatively minor sink compared to sediments.…”

Minimal impact from long‐term dredge spoil disposal at a dispersive site in Tasman Bay, New Zealand

“…The effects of these contaminants on benthic macrofauna can be reflected by macrofaunal community structure (e.g., Dauer et al 1993), or sublethal indicators such as TBT-induced imposex (e.g., Stewart et al 1992) and chemical body burdens. Many common pollutants concentrate in marine organisms, and those which can biomagnify along the food chain such as mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and DDT, are perceived as a potential threat to human health (Biddinger & Gloss 1984;Fisher 1995).…”

Manmade organic compounds in the surface waters of the United States: a review of current understanding

“…Microorganisms also have been shown to accumulate organic compounds (Grimes and Morrison, 1975;Paris and others, 1977;Blair and others, 1982). Additionally, numerous examples of organic compound bioaccumulation have been documented for fish and shellfish (Biddinger and Gloss, 1984).…”

“…Correlation of log bioconcentration factor (BCF) on the basis of fish lipid content with log triolein-water partition coefficient (Ktw) for a variety · of nonionic organic compounds. There has been considerable debate as to whether bioaccumulation of organic compounds in aqueous systems is based on the physicochemical properties of the compound acting in combination with the physiology of the aquatic organism , or if it is attributable to the trophic transfer of these compounds through the food chain (Biddinger and Gloss, 1984). The latter concept of aqueous-system biomagnification, or the accumulation of organic compounds through trophic transfer, is not well substantiated by the scientific literature.…”