Topic summary
Biomagnify
Extracted from the Wikipedia article Biomagnification.
Substances that biomagnify
Two common groups that are known to biomagnify are chlorinated hydrocarbons, also known as organochlorines, and heavy metals, including organometallic forms like methylmercury. Both are lipophilic and not easily degraded. Novel organic substances like organochlorines are not easily degraded because organisms lack previous exposure and have thus not evolved specific detoxification and excretion mechanisms, as there has been no selection pressure from them. These substances are consequently known as "persistent organic pollutants" or POPs.