Uptake, Biotransformation, Detoxification, Elimination, and Accumulation

Models are, for the most part, caricatures of reality, but if they are good, then, like good caricatures, they portray, though perhaps in distorted manner, some of the features of the real world. Kac, 1969 I. INTRODUCTION It is important to understand and to be able to predict the accumulation of contaminants in biota because effects are a consequence of concentrations in target organs or tissues. Also, because human exposure often occurs through the consumption of tainted food, prediction of accumulation in these potential vectors of exposure is crucial to avoiding human poisonings. The basic processes of uptake, biotransformation, and elimination that result in bioaccumulation are discussed in this chapter. Chapters 4 and 5 will then contribute detail and depth within this framework.