Public Health Implications of some heavy metal pollution in selected aquatic systems in Western Nigeria

Abstract

Heavy metal pollution has caused several health problems in different parts of the world and aquatic ecosystems are under constant pollution threats. The constant biomonitoring and assessment of the pollution levels of our aquatic environment should be ensured. Therefore, the objectives of this study was to investigate how such pollution affects aquatic organism and human health, by establishing the existing levels of some heavy metals arsenic (As), chromium (Cr) and mercury (Hg) in selected fresh and marine aquatic environments in Western Nigeria. The bio-concentration potential of these heavy metals in fish sourced from these waters was also carried out. The results obtained indicated high levels of the heavy metals in an increasing order of Cr>As>Hg in both the freshwater and marine water bodies. As, Cr and Hg concentrations in the fish were As (0.370.11) and (0.220.079), Cr (0.490.17)) and (0.15+0.06) , Hg (0.0830.043) and (0.0820.035) in fresh and marine waters respectively. Virtually all the figures were considerably higher than the Maximum permissible limit (MPL) stipulated by some international and national regulatory agencies. It was concluded that the studied aquatic environments had significantly high level of As, Cr and Hg, in other words, consumption of fish sourced from these water bodies could therefore pose public health risks since these metals could pass to humans through the food chain.

Trop. Vet. Vol. 29 (4) 10-20 (2011)