Biomagnification

at a rapid rate. What is this silent killer you ask? Well it’s none other than the process of biomagnification! Now you may all be wondering what this actually is and why it is causing all of this panic? Biomagnification is simply the increasing concentration of a substance, such as chemicals, in the tissues of organisms at higher level within a food chain(R. K. Mehra, 2001, pp. 5335-5338). Biomagnification occurs because the chemical is absorbed faster than it can be used or the organism cannot break

BIOMAGNIFICATION LAB REPORT AIM The aim of this lab is to model bioaccumulation and biomagnification through a food chain. MATERIALS 100 M&M’s Paper towel to lay M&M’s on 20 small cups labelled “zooplankton” 5 medium cups labelled “minnow” 2 larger cups - one labelled “eel #1”, and another labelled “eel #2” 1 bowl labelled “osprey” PROCEDURE The pile of M&M’s represents the phytoplankton population in a lake. The printed “M” on the candy represents the amount of DDT (in ppm)

negatively affect many other sectors in both nature and human health (EPA, 2009). Due to the ‘grasshopping’ effect, the past production of persistent organic pollutants in North America, Europe and Asia have contributed to adverse health effects and biomagnification present in the Arctic regions today. Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are chemical substances that resist degradation and continue to persist in the environment. Such chemicals pose a threat to humans, biodiversity and the environment due

Organic pollutants normally originate from numerous human activities which include manufacturing, managing storing, and disposal of chemicals. Industrial places are a contributor of the contaminations that besiege our environment and this does not stop there as the oil refineries on their own in some countries cause unquantifiable damages to their land and water bodies. Agricultural activities which involve use of pesticides and insecticide also contribute, not to talk of households generally. THE

Name: Institution: Course: Instructor: Date of Submission: Effects of methylmercury Table of contents 1.0 History of methyl mercury 2 2.0 Mechanisms of methyl mercury 3 2.1 Absorption of methyl mercury 4 2.2 Methylmercury metabolism 5 2.3 Methylmercury Excretion 5 3.0 Health Effects of Methylmercury 6 3.1 Neurotoxicity 6 3.2 Reproductive effects 7 3.3 Immunotoxicity effects 8 3.4 Carcinogenicity 8 3.5 Cardiovascular effects 9 4.0 References 9 1.0 History of methyl mercury The first organic mercury

being used in paints, cement, or other common material (2). Such chemicals are a large issue in the PNW, despite being banned decades ago. Today, killer whales are in danger of becoming extinct due to pollution of substances like PCBs. Due to biomagnification, chemicals like those mentioned only magnify in populations higher on the food chain. How does this effect the orca population? Pollution at these levels are creating various health issues in the large mammals and decreasing their numbers rapidly

It is important to develop alternatives to fossil fuels because the earth’s reserves of these energy resources are in great decline. The usage of fossil fuel also causes an increase in the number of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere. Because of the increase number of carbon dioxide, it’s causing the ocean water to become acidic endangering marine life. Also the smog created from burning fossil will result like the video we watched about china. In addition, in order to have sustainable

regarding the process and impact of biomagnification deriving from chemical residues. Also, the recorded Carson’s testimony in 1963, along with various legal documents from the Library of Congress, such as the Resolution 450 passed in

at risk for adverse health effects with exposure to these contaminants. Since then researchers have worked to determine exactly what harm these animals are succumbing to. The chemical properties of persistent organic pollutants along with the biomagnification of organochlorines through the trophic levels and the bioaccumulation of these chemicals in the blubber of marine mammals, explain why these animals are significantly affected by these hazardous chemicals. Bioaccumulation can also explain important

that come along with the plastics. If marine animals are higher in the food web, the more concentrated the chemicals are within the organisms along with all of the pieces of plastic the previous organisms has consumed, this concept is called biomagnification. Humans are also heavily impacted as well. Due to the fact that fish is the world's primary source of protein, meaning that when we consume fish we are potentially as well consuming the tiny pieces of plastics and highly concentrated chemicals