Bioaccumulation+Activity


 * __Toxins in the Environment -__** Concentrations of these toxins will be modeled and calculated as they bioaccumulate up the food chain.


 * __Vocabulary:__**
 * Bioaccumulation
 * Toxin
 * Ingestion
 * Dosage
 * Duration
 * Methyl Mercury


 * __Materials:__**
 * Marshmallows
 * Bioaccumulation in Food Chain Handout
 * Concentrations of Toxin
 * Phytoplankton Picture Cards
 * Calculator

Follow the directions and answer the questions as you go along. 1. What is the toxin concentration (how many marshmallows) in each phytoplankton?
 * __Procedure & Data Analysis:__**
 * Each marshmallow represents one unit of concentration of a toxin such as** **methylmercury or POPs.**
 * __Data Analysis Question: Answer in Complete sentences.__**
 * Place 10 phytoplankton cards (picture side up) in a line on your desk and put 10** **marshmallows on top of each of the phytoplankton cards to represent the intake** **of a toxin.**
 * Write the concentration from question number 1 into each of the squares under** **Phytoplankton on the “Concentrations of Toxins” worksheet.**

2. If each insect eats 10 phytoplankton. What is the toxin concentration that each insect ingests? (Multiply 10 x answer from question #1)
 * Write the concentration in scientific notation from question number 2 into each of** **the squares under Insects on the “Concentrations of Toxins” worksheet.**

3. If each small fish eats 10 insects. What is the toxin concentration that each small fish ingests? (Multiply 10 x answer from question #2)
 * Write the concentration in scientific notation from question number 3 into each of** **the squares under Small Fish on the “Concentrations of Toxins” worksheet.**

4. Each predator fish eats 10 small fish. What is the toxin concentration that each predator fish ingests? (Multiply 10 x answer from question #3)
 * Write the concentration in scientific notation from question number 4 into each of** **the squares under Predator Fish on the “Concentrations of Toxins” worksheet.**

5. If an eagle or a person ate 10 predator fish in a month, what is the toxin concentration that they would be eating? (Multiply 10 x answer from question #4)
 * Write the concentration in scientific notation from question number 5 into each of** **the squares under Birds/Mammals on the “Concentrations of Toxins” worksheet.**

6. If each 453 g (1 pound) marshmallow bag contains 826 mini marshmallows, how many bags would you need to show the concentration in a mammal that eats 10 predator fish? (Remember each marshmallow is equivalent to 1 toxin. Plug in the answer from #5 to the equation) Round to the nearest whole number. ( Bags / 826 marshmallows) ( _ marshmallows) = __ bags

7. If you eat 10 marshmallows (not toxins) are they going to harm you? Explain.

8. If you eat the amount of marshmallows (not toxins) in question #6 how might they affect you?

9. There are many factors that determine how people are affected by toxins. Dosage and duration are two of the factors that were discussed in the introduction to this activity. Explain what that means in terms of eating a predator fish like tuna in your diet?

10. What are some other factors that might make certain people more sensitive to toxins?