Definitions for "Bioconcentration Factor"
The ratio of a substance's concentration in tissue versus its concentration in water in situations where the organism is exposed through water only. BCF measures a chemical's potential to accumulate in an organism's tissue through direct uptake from water (excludes uptake from food). See also "bioaccumulation factor."
Ratio between the concentration of pesticide in an organism or tissue and the concentration in the environmental matrix (usually water) at apparent equilibrium during the uptake phase. (after Rand and Petrocelli, 1985)
Provides a measure of the extent of chemical partitioning at equilibrium between biological medium such as fish tissue or plant tissue and an external medium such as water. The higher the BCF, the greater the accumulation in living tissue is likely to be.