Growth‐Correcting the Bioconcentration Factor and Biomagnification Factor in Bioaccumulation Assessments

We illustrate that the Organisation for Economic Co‐operation and Development guideline 305 (OECD‐305) for growth‐correcting bioconcentration factors (BCFs) and biomagnification factors (BMFs) violates the mass‐balance assumption underlying the definition of BCFs and BMFs and provides unrealistic estimates of BCFs and BMFs of chemicals in nongrowing fish. We present and test alternative methods for growth‐correcting BCFs and BMFs that maintain mass balance. We conclude that the OECD‐305‐recommended growth correction of BCFs and BMFs causes error, is unnecessary, and should be revisited. Environ Toxicol Chem 2019;38:2065–2072. © 2019 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of SETAC.