Trace Elements Concentrations in Water and Aquatic Biota from Ase Creek in Niger Delta

Abstract

Water, Tilapia zilli, Synodontis nigrita, Clarias angillaris, Ipomoe cearri and
Eichornnia natans samples collected from Ase-creek for a period covering ten months (January – October, 2006). The aforementioned samples were analysed for heavy metals such as selenium, arsenic, chromium, lead, molybdenum, bismuth and cadmium using atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS) of model Pye Unicam 2900. The results obtained revealed that there were metal variations and elevated concentrations were obtained except for arsenic which was below detection limit in fish samples. These elevated metal concentrations determined indicate a deep pollution of the Ase-creek. Metal concentrations in the fish species and aquatic plants in this study are good indicators for environmental monitoring in Nigerian rivers. Oil explorations, industries and anthropogenic wastes were traceable to the elevated metal concentrations in the Ase-creek.

KEYWORDS: Ase-creek, heavy metal pollution, metal variation, environmental monitoring, bioaccumulation.