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Journal of Environmental Biology

pISSN: 0254-8704 ; eISSN: 2394-0379 ; CODEN: JEBIDP

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    Abstract - Issue Sep 2010, 31 (5)                                     Back


abstract_01

Heavy metals in fish species from lotic freshwater ecosystem at Afikpo, Nigeria

 

????? C.D. Nwani*1,2, D.A.Nwachi2, O.I. Okogwu2, E.F. Ude3 and G.E. Odoh4

 

1National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources Canal Ring Road, P.O. Dilkusha, Lucknow - 226 002, India

 

2Applied Biology Department, 3Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture,

Ebonyi State University P.M.B.053 Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria

 

4Fisheries and Hydrobiology Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria

(Received: October 22, 2008; Revised received: March 03, 2009; Accepted: April 04, 2009)

 

Abstract: A study was conducted between March 2006 and February 2007 to assess the concentration of Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, Pb, and Cr in the gills and muscles of six fish species (Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus, Clarias anguillaris, Tillapia zillii, Mormyrus rume rume, Mormyrus macrophthalmus and Mormyrus tapirus) from lotic freshwater ecosystem at Afikpo South- East Nigeria using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. In all the fish species studied the concentration of metals in the gills was significantly higher than that of the muscles (p<0.05). While the highest concentration (mg l-1) of Fe (702.20?0.04), Zn (34.40?0.02), Cu (2.10?0.01), Mn (4.91?0.08) Pb (0.50?0.02) and Cr (1.12?0.07) were recorded in the gills of C. nigrodigitatus, that in the muscles were recorded in T. zillii (443.20?0.08, 23.30?0.06, 1.33?0.06, 3.09?0.02, 0.31?0.01 and 0.66?0.04 for Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, Pb and Cr respectively). The lowest concentration of all the heavy metals in the gills was recorded in M. tapirus (309.00?0.07, 16.45?0.03, 0.92?0.04, 2.15?0.04, 0.21?0.01 and 0.50?0.06 mg l-1 for Fe, Zn, Cu Mn, Pb and Cr respectively) while the lowest in the muscles was recorded in C. anguillaris [Fe (186.00?0.07), Zn (14.20?0.08), Cu (0.56?0.03), Mn (1.30?0.02), Pb (0.10?0.01) and Cr (0.28?0.04)]. The order of heavy metals concentrations in both the gills and muscles was Fe>Zn>Mn>Cu>Cr>Pb. While the concentration of Zn, Cu and Pb? both in the muscles and gills of all the six fish species studied were within the WHO and FEPA prescribed limits, that of Fe(except in the muscles), Mn and Cr were above the prescribed limits thus indicating contamination of the fish species by these metals. Fe has the highest bio-concentration factor (BCF) in both tissues while the least was Cu. Periodic monitoring of these metals in both fishes and river to ensure safety is advocated.

Key words: Heavy metals, Fish, Afikpo, Ecosystem, Nigeria

??????? PDF of full length paper is available online

 

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