Bioaccumulation of PAHs in Fishes from Ogidigben-Escravos Estuaries

Abstract

Levels of sixteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in fresh fish oil samples from OgidigbenEscravos Estuaries (Micropogoniasundulantes) and from local ponds in Ereyi farms in Benin City (Clariasgariepinus) were investigated. Gas chromatography analysis with flame ionization dictector (FID) were employed for (PAHs) determination. Observed mean individual PAHs level in the C. gariepinus ranged from below detection limit (BD) to 0.015mg/Kg and BD – 0.022mg/Kg for M. undulantes,the highest average concentration being recorded for indeno(1,2,3)pyrene. The total mean concentration for the four indicators of PAHs for both sampling sites were below EU maximum limits of 2.0-10ug/kg. The research shows that the PAHs contamination in the aquatic environment were both petrogenic and pyrolytic origin for the escravos Estuaries which were affected by seasons of the year and pyrogenic origin for the pond.

Keywords: Escravos Estuaries, Clariasgariepinus, Micropogoniasundulantes, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, pyrolytic, petrogenic.