Home
Back
Bioconcentration Factor Formula:
| From: | To: |
The Bioconcentration Factor (BCF) is expressed as the ratio of the concentration of a chemical in an organism to the concentration of the chemical in the surrounding environment. It measures the accumulation of metals like Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn in plant tissues relative to soil concentrations.
The calculator uses the Bioconcentration Factor formula:
Where:
Explanation: The BCF quantifies the extent to which a metal is concentrated in plant tissue relative to its concentration in the surrounding soil environment.
Details: BCF calculation is crucial for environmental risk assessment, understanding metal uptake by plants, and evaluating potential food chain contamination from soil pollutants.
Tips: Enter concentration of metal in plant tissue (kg/eq) and concentration of metal in soil (kg/m³). All values must be valid positive numbers.
Q1: What does a high BCF value indicate?
A: A high BCF value indicates that the plant has a strong ability to accumulate the metal from soil into its tissues, which may pose environmental and health risks.
Q2: What are typical BCF values for common metals?
A: BCF values vary by metal and plant species. Generally, values range from 0.001 to 10, with some hyperaccumulator plants showing much higher values.
Q3: How does soil pH affect BCF?
A: Soil pH significantly affects metal bioavailability. Lower pH generally increases metal solubility and plant uptake, leading to higher BCF values.
Q4: Are there limitations to BCF calculations?
A: BCF values can be influenced by various factors including soil properties, plant species, metal speciation, and environmental conditions.
Q5: How is BCF used in environmental monitoring?
A: BCF is used to assess the potential for metal transfer through food chains, evaluate phytoremediation potential, and establish environmental quality standards.