Quantifying Bioaccumulation in the Aquatic Environment

Summary

Marine and freshwater ecosystems are exposed to various organic contaminants. Here, we summarize useful tools to assess and quantify bioaccumulation of organic contaminants in biota from water, diet, and sediment exposure. These bioaccumulation metrics (bioaccumulation factor BAF, bioconcentration factor BCF, biota-sediment accumulation factor BSAF, biomagnification factor BMF, trophic magnification factor TMF) describe the enrichment of organic contaminants in biota relative to its surrounding environment or source of the chemicals (e.g., water, sediment, or food).