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Comparative analysis of the effect of cadmium bioaccumulation on the age and body weight of fishes in different water bodies in Ebonyi State


M.O. Nwabunike

Abstract

The study comparatively underscored the effects of Cadmium bioaccumulation on the age and body weight of fishes in three (3) water bodies of Ebonyi State. After taking fork length measurements and weights of all the fishes caught from each water body, 5 fishes were selected based on age. Inferential statistics in the form of ordinary least square simple regression analysis was used to identify the similarities or differences on the impact of Cadmium on the fish age and body weight of the different Ebonyi river systems; vis a vis; Ameka dam, Enyigba river and Ebonyi river. The results obtained showed that in Ameka dam, Cadmium exerted negative influence on body weight and age of fishes but had higher influence on the body weight of fishes than on the age of fishes with R2 values of 46.00% and 3.90% respectively. In Enyigba river, it was observed that Cadmium exerted higher influence on body weight than age of fishes with R2 values of 3.0% and 0.1% respectively, though while the influence on age was positive, the influence on body weight was negative. In Ebonyi river, Cadmium exerted higher effect on the body weight of fishes than on the age of fishes with R2 values of 57.60% and 0.60% respectively, though while the influence on age was positive, the influence on body weight was negative. Among the recommendations was that fishes caught in slow flowing dams should be monitored of cadmium bioaccumulation to forestall it constituting a hazard to human health.

Keywords: Comparative, Influence, Cadmium, Fish and Ebonyi River


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