EVALUATION OF HEAVY METAL BIOACCUMULATION IN TILAPIA ZILLII (GÜNTHER) COLLECTED FROM OGUTA LAKE, IMO STATE, NIGERIA
Abstract
ABSTRACT
The study was carried out in Oguta Lake from February, 2022 to December, 2022 at three different stations (Onu Utu, Okposha, Ogbe Hausa, Osemotor and Ede Ngwugwu) to study the concentration of heavy metals in fish tissues (muscle, gonads, liver, gill and kidney). Fish samples were collected twice monthly using hook and line, gill net, cast net, bag net and local fish traps. A total of 180 fishes were used. The levels of heavy metals Copper (Cu), Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), Arsenic (As) were determined in three common edible fish species Tilapia zillii, by air-acetylene flame Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. The mean values of the heavy metals in fish tissues were found to be 0.67 µg, 0.58 µg, 0.64 µg and 0.21 µg for Cu, Pb, and Cd and As, respectively. From the result mean concentration of Arsenic range thus; Citharinus citharus>Heterotis niloticus>Tilapia zillii, Copper-Heterotis niloticus>Tilapia zillii>Citharinus citharus, Lead-Tilapia zillii>Heterotis niloticus>Citharinus citharus, Cadmium- Heterotis niloticus> Tilapia zillii> Citharinus citharus. The results obtained showed that the values of all the heavy metals in the fish samples were lower than the values recommended by W.H.O and the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations suggesting that the fishes found in the Lake could be suitable for human consumption.
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