Concentration, toxicity and impact of toxicants varies widely according to both pollutant and place of deposition. The final question in assessing exposure is bioavailability of toxicants. Alteration of chemicals within the environment greatly affect their bioavailability. The accumulation of toxicants in aquatic organisms is the subject of considerable research. Unfortunately, there are little or no detailed studies of biological effects of these accumulated toxins.
Toxins accumulate and concentrate up the food chain.
The result is that a predator acquires a greater toxic load than its prey. Once a toxin has been firmly ensconced within an organism, the organism can deal with it in one of two ways. It has been recognized that metabolization is critical for their survival. This particularly relevant for lipid soluble xenobiotics. Biotransformation consists of two elements, Phase I and Phase II reactions.