Abstract
The concentration of nine heavy metals in Oreochromis niloticus and Ipomoea aquatica inhabiting Agodi reservoir, Oyo State, Nigeria were investigated for twelve months. The concentrations of the metals were carried out using PG990 Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. The Ecological Risk Quotient (ERQ) was calculated using standard methods while the tolerability was determined with Box Plot analysis. The metal bioaccumulation in O. niloticus and I. aquatica followed the order Mn > Fe > Zn > Cu > Co > Pb > Cd > Cr > Ni and Fe > Zn > Mn > Cu > Pb > Cd > Co > Cr > Ni respectively. The results revealed O. niloticus to bioaccumulate the metals more than I. aquatica. Most of the examined metals were higher than the safety limit for the metals concentration in O. niloticus and I. aquatica. Also, I. aquatica had higher tolerability for heavy metals than O. niloticus. In O. niloticus, metal concentration, as well as ERQ, was higher in the wet season while no particular order was observed for I. aquatica. The ERQ result revealed that Cd, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu and Pb exhibited a high level of ecological risk to both the aquatic flora and fauna as the ERQ values were above the risk limit of one (1). Thus, there is a significant environmental risk associated with heavy metals in the water body.
Highlights
The concentration of nine heavy metals in Oreochromis niloticus and Ipomoea aquatica inhabiting Agodi reservoir, Oyo State, Nigeria were investigated for twelve months
The Ecological Risk Quotient (ERQ) result revealed that Cd, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu and Pb exhibited a high level of ecological risk to both the aquatic flora and fauna as the ERQ values were above the risk limit of one (1)
Vegetables and fish are an important component of the daily diet of humans with high nutritional value[11], there is a paucity of information on its contamination by heavy metals in Agodi Reservoir as their consumption in contaminated form can lead to adverse health problems in animals and humans with deleterious consequences
Summary
The concentration of nine heavy metals in Oreochromis niloticus and Ipomoea aquatica inhabiting Agodi reservoir, Oyo State, Nigeria were investigated for twelve months. Heavy metals are pollutants that are non-biodegradable and are persistent in the environment They enter the aquatic environments through various anthropogenic activities, industrialization, urbanization and extensive use of chemicals in agriculture[1], inevitably disrupting and contaminating the aquatic food chain. Oreochromis niloticus (Nile Tilapia) is a widely distributed, abundant and economically important sedentary fish present in most freshwater ecosystem It is often used as a bio-indicator of measuring the pollution level of an aquatic environment[4]. Ipomoea aquatica known as water spinach is a herbaceous trailing vine that grows perennially and is widely distributed It is economically important and mostly cultivated by both rural and urban dwellers due to its nutritional composition and benefits.
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