Assessing Carcinogenic and other Health Risks Associated with Consuming a Food Fish, Labeo pseudocoubie, from the Niger-Benue/Imo River Systems, Nigeria

Abstract

Carcinogenic and other health risks associated with consuming a food fish, Labeo pseudocoubie from the Niger- Benue/Imo River systems was assessed using bioaccumulation of poisonous metals and health indices. Three hundred fish samples of Labeo pseudocoubie were collected from five stations along the Niger-Benue/Imo River Systems of Nigeria to investigate the bioaccumulation of metal, non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic human health risks. The metal concentrations (As, Pb, Cd, Ni, Zn, Hg, Ba, Fe, V, Cu and Cr) were analyzed using the X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) Spectrometer. The non-carcinogenic (estimated daily intake, chronic daily intake and target hazard quotient) and carcinogenic human health risks were calculated for metal concentrations in the fish. The data revealed that the mean bioaccumulation for five (5) metals in L. pseudocoubie from most stations were higher than the permissible limits. The non-carcinogenic human health risk revealed that majority of the metals had values above the daily reference dose for both males and females; while the target hazard quotient revealed that very few metals (3) had concentrations above the level at which obvious health impact may be observed. Furthermore, the carcinogenic human health assessment revealed that nickel and arsenic in all stations, except for arsenic in Station 3, were above the range for relatively negligible cancer risk for both males and females. It is therefore recommended that fish consumers along the Niger- Benue/Imo River Systems should exercise serious caution when consuming fish in these areas due to the possible adverse effects that could ensue.