A-Z of Cosmetic Ingredients and Terms
Bioaccumulation occurs when an organism absorbs a substance at a rate greater than that at which the substance is lost.
Bioaccumulative substances tend to be fat-soluble and not easily broken down, meaning that they build up over time in the organism so that the concentration in the organism is greater than the concentration in the surrounding environment.
Therefore, bioaccumulation is more than the 'presence' or 'detection' of a substance. It is also important to determine scientifically whether bioaccumulation means that any harm is being done, as this is not necessarily always the case.
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