Concentrations of Selected Heavy metals (Iron, Manganese, Cadmium, Lead, Chromium, and Nickel) in three fish species from Ase River at Kwale, Delta State, Nigeria

The consumption of fish worldwide has increased speedily in recent years particularly with the awareness of its nutritional and therapeutic benefits. In addition to being important source of protein, fish are enriched with essential minerals, vitamins, and unsaturated fatty acids. However, fish normally accumulate heavy metals from food, water bodies like rivers, lake, stream etc., and sediments and this is a good indicator of heavy metals contamination in water. Concentration of Heavy metal namely Fe, Mn, Cd, Pb, Cr and Ni were found in dominant fish species in Ase River at Kwale. The heavy metal was analyzed by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (iCE 3400 AAS, Thermo Fisher Scientific, USA). It was observed that the relative abundance of the heavy metals was as follows Fe >Mn > Cd>Pb>Cr>Ni. The level of Fe, Mn, Cd, Pb and Cr are higher than WHO Limit for food. High concentration of the heavy metals calls for constant monitoring since the level were found to represent future risk to man who is the consumer. It was revealed that Clarias garepinus (African sharp tooth Catfish) and Channa channa (Snake head fish) accumulated more heavy metals than Tilapia mariae (Tilapia fish).