Concentration of Dietary Exposure and Health Risk Assessment of Ni, Cd and Pb in Periwinkles Clams and Nile tilapia Harvested from Selected Communities in the Niger Delta Region, Nigeria

Abstract

Niger Delta region is home to several seafood and a source of livelihood for the people; however, environmental pollution has exposed the marine ecosystem due to anthropogenic activities. Consequently, the objectives of this paper were to assess the concentration, dietary exposure and human health risk assessment of Ni, Cd and Pb in periwinkles (Tympanotanum fuscatus), clams (Mya arenaria), and Nile tilapia (Oreochromis noliticus) harvested from Egbormung, Krakrama and Bassambiri communities in the Niger Delta Region Nigeria using appropriate standard methods after HCl/HNO₃ (3:1) digestion and AAS model 210 VGP Buck scientific analysis. Data obtained showed that the concentration of  Cd (0.004±0.001 – 1.283±0.197 mg/kg); Ni (0.047±0.007 – 5.220±0.276 mg/kg); Pb (0.200±0.000 – 20.822±0.094 mg/kg) for periwinkles, Cd (0.003±0.001 – 0.656±0.027 mg/kg); Ni (0.081±0.003 – 2.333±0.157 mg/kg); Pb (0.339±0.002 -16.763±0.071 mg/kg) for clams and Cd (0.002±0.001 – 2.362±0.139 mg/kg), Ni (0.064±0.004 – 1.639±0.067 mg/kg), Pb (1.250±0.019 – 41.237±0.374) for Nile tilapia. The results of the risk of consumption of the seafood from Egbormung samples are (5.51E-01, 2.15E-01, 9.13E-01); from Krakrama samples are (8.29E-01, 1.06E+00, 2.28E+00) from Bassambiri are (1.47E+00, 7.92E-01, 2.88E+00); from Kono, the control site are (1.28E-02, 2.08E-02, 7.54E-02) for periwinkles, clams and Nile tilapia respectively. High HI values were obtained for seafood samples from the coastal rivers in the order: Fish > clams > periwinkles and Bassambiri > Krakrama > Egbormung respectively. All three seafoods had high levels of Pb while Ni levels in periwinkles and Nile tilapia were higher than clams Cd in clam samples were higher than the other seafood samples.