Abstract
Oil exploration, exploitation, oil well fires and pipe-line vandalism are often reported to lead to high levels of pollution of the environment affecting water, land and air. As a result, the safety of specific fish species for human consumption is constantly in doubt and needs assessment. Guinean tilapia ( Tilapia guineensis ) and Blackchin tilapia ( Sarotherondon melanotheron ) are two of the highly consumed fish species in Bodo River. The level of chromium, nickel, cobalt and zinc in the flesh of Tilapia guineensis and Sarotherondon melanotheron found in Bodo River were studied using X-ray fluorescence (XRF). The amount of chromium found in the two fish species ranged between 10.3-10.5mg/kg, nickel 8.7-10.2mg/kg, cobalt 3.0-4mg/kg and zinc 71.2-74.5mg/kg. The levels of Cr, Ni, Co and Zn found in these two species of fish were compared to WHO maximum permissible levels of fish for consumption. The results showed that, fish from the study area contain amount of these metals investigated. This result will serve as a baseline for Food Agencies in Nigeria to certify safety of fishes from various rivers before they are sold for consumption to the public is hereby highlighted. Keywords: X-ray fluorescence, Chromium, nickel, cobalt, zinc, Guinean tilapia ( Tilapia guineensis ), Blackchin tilapia ( Sarotherodon melanotheron ), Bodo River
Highlights
Fish is a major source of protein (Rasheed, 2001), it is a major source of heavy metals in food (Siverperumalet al., 2007)
It is importance to constantly study the amount of elements in fishes found in various water bodies to check if they conform to tolerable limits established by various health agencies including European Medicines Agency (EMEA) and WHO especially, in polluted areas
This study assessed the amount of chromium, nickel, cobalt and zinc in two fish species found in Bodo River and highlights the need for food agencies to monitor fish species from anywhere in Nigeria before they are sold to the public for consumption
Summary
Fish is a major source of protein (Rasheed, 2001), it is a major source of heavy metals in food (Siverperumalet al., 2007). Two of the major fish species from Bodo River commonly consumed are Guinean tilapia (Tilapia guineensis) and Blackchin tilapia (Sarotherodon melanotheron). This study assessed the amount of chromium, nickel, cobalt and zinc in two fish species found in Bodo River and highlights the need for food agencies to monitor fish species from anywhere in Nigeria before they are sold to the public for consumption.
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