QUANTIFICATION OF METHYLMERCURY CONCENTRATION FROM SEDIMENT SAMPLES ON EARTHEN FISHPONDS
Abstract
Mercury is a global pollutant and a neurotoxin that is both an environmental and public health concern. Methylmercury a derivative of mercury is a persistent environmental contaminant that poses significant risks to aquatic ecosystem and human health. The study aimed to quantify the concentration of methyl mercury in sediment samples collected from three earthing fishponds within the Niger Delta University,Bayelsa State. The determination of methyl mercury in sediments was performed using the automatic mercury analyzer RA-3000 system based on reducing vaporization with stannous chloride into an atomic fluorescence spectrometer. The methylmercury concentrations from the three earthing fishpond sites have values ranging from 0.038 to 0.041 ug/g which is below the NOAA effects Range level (ERL) guideline of 0.15. Sediment MeHg concentrations in the studied earthing fishponds are within safe environmental limits,indicating no immediate ecological threat. However, periodic monitoring is advised to detect any changes due to environmental or anthropogenic effects.
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