What term describes toxins becoming more concentrated as they move up the food chain?

• A. Biomagnification
• B. Bioaccumulation
• C. Deposition
• D. Dilution

Answer: (A)

Biomagnification is the process by which toxins become more concentrated at higher levels of a food chain. When a predator eats contaminated prey, it accumulates the toxin, and because many pollutants are persistent and not easily excreted, concentrations build up. With each step up the chain, more toxin accumulates, leading to the highest levels in top predators. This is different from bioaccumulation, which refers to buildup within a single organism from all exposure sources, not necessarily increasing across trophic levels. Deposition describes substances settling onto surfaces or soils, and dilution refers to a decrease in concentration due to mixing with more volume—neither explains the increased concentration across the food chain.