Which term describes the tendency for toxins to increase in concentration higher up the food chain?

• A. Biomagnification
• B. Bioaccumulation
• C. Biohazard
• D. Biodegradation

Answer: (A)

Biomagnification is the tendency for toxins to increase in concentration higher up the food chain. This happens because many persistent chemicals resist breakdown and accumulate in organisms. When a predator consumes multiple contaminated prey, the toxin level builds up in the predator’s tissues, leading to higher concentrations at each successive trophic level. Over time, top predators—such as large fish, birds of prey, or humans consuming seafood—show the greatest levels. Bioaccumulation refers to buildup within a single organism over time, biodegradation is the breakdown of substances by organisms, and biohazard is a general term for danger from biological agents.