IIARD International Institute of Academic Research and Development

RESEARCH JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE AND QUALITY CONTROL (RJFSQC )

E-ISSN 2504-6145
P-ISSN 2695-2459
VOL. 11 NO. 1 2025
DOI: 10.56201/rjfsqc.vol.11.no1.2025.pg94.104

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Assessment of Heavy Metals in Selected Dried Consumer Fish Species Sold in Some Markets in Port Harcourt Metropolis, Rivers State, Nigeria

Amachree D, Akinrotimi OA, Orokotan OO, and AyaobuCookey, IK

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Abstract

The concentrations of some heavy metals which include Cadmium-Cd, Lead-Pb, Mercury-Hg, Arsenic-As, and Zinc-Zn were examined in some dried consumer fish samples, obtained from three daily markets: Choba, Rumuokoro, and Mile 1, located in Port Harcourt metropolis of Rivers State, Nigeria. The investigated fish samples include: stock fish (Gadus morhua), horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus), and African catfish (Clarias gariepinus). In each of the selected markets, three samples of each fish species were procured from the sellers and taken to the laboratory for analysis. The metal concentrations were determined in the sampled fish by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (Buck Scientific, 200A Model). Levels of heavy metals were expressed in mg/Kg dry weight. The data obtained from the study were collated and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 22.0). According to the findings, the species Gadus morhua had the highest concentrations of: cadmium (0.23±0.01), lead (0.08±0.02), mercury (0.07±0.01), and arsenic (0.03±0.00), whereas C. gariepinus had the lowest concentrations of cadmium (0.06±0.01), lead (0.03±0.01), mercury (0.01±0.00), and arsenic (0.01±0.00). Nonetheless, T. trachurus has the highest concentration of zinc (5.97±0.23), followed by G. morhua (5.89±0.66), while C. gariepinus (3.22±0.66) has the lowest. Within the species, there were significant differences in metal concentrations (p>0.05). The fish utilized in this study were deemed safe for human consumption because their heavy metal levels were below the range established by the World Health Organization (WHO). Given the low concentrations of heavy metals found in the smoked fish samples examined in this study, monitoring of aquatic species should be done on a regular basis in the study area to determine when the amounts of heavy metals will rise above the permissible limits for safe consumption.

keywords:

Heavy metals, Fish food, Environmental pollution, Markets

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