In a biomagnification situation, assume that a dangerous chemical, called "X"is present in the water of a small bay at a concentration of .00005 parts per million (ppm). Also assume there are three layers of consumption between the water and a certain predatory bird that lives around the lake, and at each step of consumption, chemical X gets magnified 1000 times. What is the final concentration of chemical X in the predatory bird after eating 100 fish in a week?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

At each step of consumption, the concentration of chemical X gets magnified 1000 times. So, the concentration of chemical X in each step of consumption would be:

Step 1: 0.00005 ppm (as given)
Step 2: 0.05 ppm (1000 times magnified)
Step 3: 50 ppm (1000 times magnified again)

So, each fish that the bird consumes would have a concentration of 50 ppm of chemical X. If the bird eats 100 fish in a week, then the final concentration of chemical X in the bird's body would be:

0.05 ppm x 100 = 5 ppm

Therefore, the correct answer is B, "At the end of one week, the bird will have 5 ppm of chemical X".

In a Biomagnification Situation, Assume That a Dangerous Chemical, Called