DETERMINATION OF HEAVY METALS CONCENTRATION IN FISH SPECIES FROM DADIN KOWA DAM CONSUMED IN SOME PARTS OF GOMBE STATE, NORTHEASTERN NIGERIA AND ITS HEALTH EFFECTS
Abstract
Despite increasing in industrial and agricultural activities near Dadin Kowa Dam, limited data exist on heavy metal contamination in its aquatic ecosystem. This study investigates metal concentration in commonly consumed fish species in northern parts of Nigeria and many parts of Africa to assess potential health risks. Heavy metals in fish originate from industrial discharge, agricultural runoff, and natural geological processes, necessitating continuous monitoring. Chronic exposure to Pb, Cd, As, Fe, Cu, and Ni is linked to neurological damage, renal failure, and carcinogenic effects, making their presence in food sources a serious concern. AAS analysis was performed using certified reference materials, and calibration was validated with standard solutions to ensure accuracy. The planet catfish was found to have high levels of lead (0.0237 mg/100g), while Cadmium contents in Red-tailed Synodontis were alarming (0.0560 mg/100g), beyond safety limits and potentially harmful to health. The greatest arsenic level was found in African Cat Fish (0.0655 mg/100g), which suggests that long-term exposure should be avoided. ANOVA results (p < 0.05) indicate significant variation in heavy metal accumulation between species, identifying Planet Catfish and Red-tailed Synodontis as the most contaminated. To minimize exposure risks, regular monitoring programs, public health advisories, and dietary guidelines on fish consumption should be implemented. Findings are compared against WHO/FAO (2021) guidelines for permissible heavy metal concentrations in fish.
References
Ahmad, A. Sarah, Assessment of Abandoned Mine Impacts on Concentrations and Distribution of Heavy Metals in Surface Sediments of Catchments Around Sungai Lembing Abandoned Tin Mine, Iranica Journal of Energy & Environment 5, (4): (2014).
Agbugui M. O., Abhulimen E. F., Inobeme, A. and Olori, E. (2019). Biodiversity of Fish Fauna in River Niger at Agenebode, Edo State, Nigeria. Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries. 23(4): 159-166. www.ejabf.journals.ekb.eg (Scopus) DOI: https://doi.org/10.21608/ejabf.2019.52847
Agbugui, M.O and Deekae, S.N. (2013). Assessment of the physico-chemical parameters and quality of water of the New Calabar-Bonny River, Port-Harcourt, Nigeria. Cancer Biology 4 (1):1-9. www.cncerbio.net.1
Alewu, B, and Nosiri, C. (2011). Pesticides and human health. In: Stoytcheva M, editor. Pesticides in the Modern World Effects of Pesticides Exposure. InTech (2011). p. 23150. Available from: http://www.intechopen.com/books/pesticides-in-the-modern-world-effects-ofpesticides-exposure/pesticide-and-human-healt
Akan J.C, Salwa Mohmoud, Bashir Shetima Yikala and Victor Obioma Ogugbuaja (2012). Bioaccumulation of smeheavy metals in fish samples from river Benue in Vinikilang, Adamawa State, Nigeria. American Journalof Analytical Chemistry. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4236/ajac.2012.311097 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4236/ajac.2012.311097
Atta, M. I., Zehra, S. S., Dai, D. Q., Ali, H., Naveed, K., Ali, I., ... & Ali, I. (2023). Amassing of heavy metals in soils, vegetables and crop plants irrigated with wastewater: Health risk assessment of heavy metals in Dera Ghazi Khan, Punjab, Pakistan. Frontiers in plant science, 13, 1080635. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2022.1080635
Baharoma, Z.S. and Ishaka, M.Y (2015). Determination of heavy metal accumulation in fish species in Galas River, Kelantan and Beranang mining pool, Selangor. Procedia Environmental Sciences 30 320 325. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proenv.2015.10.057 . DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proenv.2015.10.057
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), Carrasco Cabrera, L., & Medina Pastor, P. (2021). The 2019 European Union report on pesticide residues in food. EFSA Journal, 19(4), e06491. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2021.6491
FAO/WHO (2011). Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization. Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives. Summary and conclusions. 53rd Meeting, Rome. www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/.../2 002-09-10.
Jiang, Q., He, J., Ye, G. & Christakos, G. Heavy metal contamination assessment of surface sediments of the East Zhejiang coastal area during 20122015. Ecotoxicol. Environ. Saf. 163, 444455 (2018). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2018.07.107
Leite, L. C. S., de Lima, N. V., Melo, E. S. D. P., Cardozo, C. M. L., & do Nascimento, V. A. (2022). Exposure to toxic metals and health risk assessment through ingestion of canned sardines sold in Brazil. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(13), 7678. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19137678
Mensoor M. and Said, A. (2018). Determination of Heavy Metals in Freshwater Fishes of the Tigris River in Baghdad. Fishes. 3, 23 6pp; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes3020023. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes3020023
Milenkovi N, Damjanovi M, Risti M: Study of Heavy Metal Pollution in Sediments from the Iron Gate (Danube River), Serbia and Montenegro. Polish J Environmen Stud 2016, 14: 781787.
Naeem, S., Ashraf, M., Babar, M.E. (2021). The effects of some heavy metals on some fish species. Environ Sci Pollut Res 28, 2556625578 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-12385-z DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-12385-z
Ogundiran, A. A., Babarinde, N. A., Ofudje, E. A., & Ogundiran, O. O. (2021). Removal of Heavy Metals from Aqueous Solutions using Modified Irish Potato Leaf as Low Cost Biosorbent: Kinetic and Thermodynamic Studies. J. Sci. Technol, 22, 257-271.
Spognardi, S., Bravo, I., Rea, R., Cappelli, L., & Papetti, P. (2021). A perspective on the potential health risks from PCBs and heavy metals contamination of M. merluccius from Mediterranean Sea. International Journal of Food Safety, Nutrition and Public Health, 6(2), 85-103. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1504/IJFSNPH.2021.113404
Satyanarayanan, M., Eswaramoorthi, S., Subramanian, S., Periakali, P., 2016. Factor analysis of rock, soil and water geochemical data from salem magnesite mines and surrounding area, Salem, Southern India. Appl. Water Sci. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13201-016-0411-6. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13201-016-0411-6
USEPA, (2020). DDT - A review of scientific and economic aspects of the decision to ban its use as a pesticide. Washington US EPA; 1975.
WHO (World Health Organization) (2011). Chromium, Nickel and Welding. International Agency for Research on Cancer. IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans, France
Zhang, X., Qian, H., Chen, J., Qiao, L., 2014. Assessment of Groundwater chemistry and status in a heavily used semi-arid region with multivariate statistical analysis. Water 6, 22122232. https://doi.org/10.3390/w6082212. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/w6082212
Copyright (c) 2025 FUDMA JOURNAL OF SCIENCES
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
FUDMA Journal of Sciences
