BiomagnificationBiomagnification

BiologyBiology

When we try to pick out anything When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe. everything else in the universe. John Muir John Muir

BiomagnificationBiomagnification

Definition:Definition:BiomagnificationBiomagnification, , also known also known

as as bioamplificationbioamplification, or , or biological magnificationbiological magnification is is the the increase in concentration of a increase in concentration of a substance, substance, such as the pesticide such as the pesticide DDTDDT, that occurs in a food chain, that occurs in a food chain

Beatles - In My Life.mp3Beatles - In My Life.mp3

Biomagnification Through the Biomagnification Through the Food ChainFood Chain

Food Chain ExampleFood Chain Example

Let’s look at our food chain to see how Let’s look at our food chain to see how biomagnification works:biomagnification works:

Food ChainFood Chain

Let’s say, for example, that Let’s say, for example, that each piece of each piece of plant material has one microscopic drop of plant material has one microscopic drop of methyl mercury. methyl mercury.

Sidebar: What is Methyl Sidebar: What is Methyl Mercury?Mercury?

Methylmercury Methylmercury was was producedproduced directly and indirectly as directly and indirectly as part of several part of several industrial processesindustrial processes. Currently there . Currently there are few human made sources of methylmercury are few human made sources of methylmercury pollution other than the burning of wastes containing pollution other than the burning of wastes containing inorganic mercury and from the inorganic mercury and from the burning of fossil fuelsburning of fossil fuels, , particularly coal. particularly coal.

Additional inorganic mercury is contributed by Additional inorganic mercury is contributed by natural natural sourcessources such as volcanoes, forest fires and such as volcanoes, forest fires and weathering of mercury-bearing rocks. Methylmercury weathering of mercury-bearing rocks. Methylmercury is formed from inorganic mercury by the action of is formed from inorganic mercury by the action of anaerobic organisms that live in aquatic systems anaerobic organisms that live in aquatic systems including lakes, rivers, wetlands, sediments, soils and including lakes, rivers, wetlands, sediments, soils and the open ocean. the open ocean.

Back to the Food ChainBack to the Food Chain

One insect eats 25 pieces of plant One insect eats 25 pieces of plant material, that would mean that each insect material, that would mean that each insect would have _______ microscopic drops of would have _______ microscopic drops of methyl mercury in its body. methyl mercury in its body.

Food ChainFood Chain

If one small fish needs 10 insects to If one small fish needs 10 insects to live, then one fish would have _____ live, then one fish would have _____ microscopic drops of methyl microscopic drops of methyl mercury. mercury.

Food ChainFood Chain

One big fish eats 5 small fish to live. So, One big fish eats 5 small fish to live. So, one big fish would collect a total of _____ one big fish would collect a total of _____ microscopic drops of methyl mercury in its microscopic drops of methyl mercury in its body. body.

Food ChainFood Chain

What about you and me? Lets say we eat What about you and me? Lets say we eat 1 big fish a day for 3 days. We would 1 big fish a day for 3 days. We would collect total of ______ drops of methyl collect total of ______ drops of methyl mercury in our body over the 3 days. This mercury in our body over the 3 days. This is how biomagnification works!is how biomagnification works!

Food ChainFood Chain

Now let’s say that methyl mercury makes Now let’s say that methyl mercury makes living things sick. The more methyl living things sick. The more methyl mercury in the living organism, the more mercury in the living organism, the more sick it would get. From our example sick it would get. From our example above, which organism will be most above, which organism will be most affected by the toxin methyl mercury?affected by the toxin methyl mercury?

Other Organisms Affected by Other Organisms Affected by BiomagnificationBiomagnification

Silent In The Morning.mp3Silent In The Morning.mp3

Peregrine FalconPeregrine Falcon The The Peregrine Falcon became an Peregrine Falcon became an

endangered species because of the overuse endangered species because of the overuse of pesticides such as DDT during the 1950s, of pesticides such as DDT during the 1950s, 60s, and 70s.60s, and 70s. Pesticide Pesticide biomagnification biomagnification interfered with reproduction, thinning interfered with reproduction, thinning eggshells and reducing the number of eggs eggshells and reducing the number of eggs that survived to hatching.that survived to hatching. The organochlorine The organochlorine build-up in the falcon's fat tissues resulted in build-up in the falcon's fat tissues resulted in less calcium in the eggshells, leading to more less calcium in the eggshells, leading to more fragile eggs. In several parts of the world, fragile eggs. In several parts of the world, such as the eastern USA and Belgium, this such as the eastern USA and Belgium, this species became extinct as a result. species became extinct as a result.

Bald EagleBald Eagle

Bald EagleBald Eagle

Once a common sight in much of the Once a common sight in much of the continent, the continent, the Bald Eagle was severely Bald Eagle was severely affected in the mid-20th century by a variety affected in the mid-20th century by a variety of factors, among them thinning of egg shells, of factors, among them thinning of egg shells, attributed to the use of the pesticide DDT.attributed to the use of the pesticide DDT. DDT itself was not lethal to the adult bird, but DDT itself was not lethal to the adult bird, but it interfered with the bird's calcium it interfered with the bird's calcium metabolism, making the bird either sterile or metabolism, making the bird either sterile or unable to lay healthy eggs. Female eagles unable to lay healthy eggs. Female eagles laid eggs that were too brittle to withstand the laid eggs that were too brittle to withstand the weight of a adult.weight of a adult.

Horton, in Dr. Seuss’sHorton, in Dr. Seuss’s Horton Horton Hears a WhoHears a Who

““We’ve GOT to We’ve GOT to make noise in make noise in greater greater amounts! So, amounts! So, open your open your mouth, lad! For mouth, lad! For every voice every voice counts!”counts!”

We're not gonna take it-Twisted sister.mp3We're not gonna take it-Twisted sister.mp3

Human Fish Consumption Human Fish Consumption GuidelinesGuidelines

1.1. What 3 toxic chemicals do some fish What 3 toxic chemicals do some fish contain?contain?

2.2. How can you reduce your exposure to How can you reduce your exposure to dioxin and PCB’s?dioxin and PCB’s?

3.3. What is the proper way to clean a What is the proper way to clean a fish?fish?

4.4. How should you cook a fish to reduce How should you cook a fish to reduce your exposure to harmful chemicals?your exposure to harmful chemicals?

Human Fish Consumption Human Fish Consumption GuidelinesGuidelines

5. What part of NJ has the most 5. What part of NJ has the most contaminated fish?contaminated fish?

6. Who is at high risk in the population?6. Who is at high risk in the population? 7. What type of seafood is most 7. What type of seafood is most

contaminated?contaminated? 8. What is the safest fish to eat?8. What is the safest fish to eat? 9. What part of a lobster should you NOT 9. What part of a lobster should you NOT

eat?eat? 10. What part of NJ has the least 10. What part of NJ has the least

contaminated fish?contaminated fish?

The end!The end!