Heavy metals in water and fish (Synodontis membranaceus) from Ora and Ebe rivers in the vicinity of Nigerian cement factory, nkalagu

E. C. Okafor¹ And G. E. Nwajei²*

¹Department of Pure and Industrial Chemistry, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, (Nigeria ) ²Department of Chemistry Delta State University Abraka (nigeria)

ABSTRACT: Water and Synodontis membranaceus samples collected from Ora and Ebe Rivers were analysed for heavy metal concentrations. Using atomic absorption spetrophotometry (Spectra AA-10 varian and Emmission/absoption –200A). The metals concentrations obtained in water and Synodontis membranaceus in this study showed that there were no significant mean difference between water samples from Ora Rive and Ebe Rivers. There were metal variations due to seasonal changes. Metals analysed in Synodontis membranaceus revealed that lead, cadmium, nickel and cobalt were below detection limits in the intestine sample from Ebe River. Relationships between Synodontis membraneceus tissue from Ora River and Ebe River were presented in Tables 5 and 6 respectively. Also the relationships between metals Synodoutis membranaceus tissues were presented in Table 7. These relationships showed variations of metals in head, muscle and intestine of Synodontis membranaceus from the two rivers. The concentration of metals such as lead, copper, manganese, iron, nickel, cadmium and chromium in Synodontis membrananceus from Ora River exceeded those of Ebe River. Arsenic levels in Synodontis membranaceus in this study was found to have exceeded those levels (0.07-0.43 μg/g obtained from River Niger and Niger Delta areas of Nigeria. Concentrations Cr, Cu, Fe and Zn in Synodonti membranceus in this study were lower than those obtained from the Kuwait Coast (Cr 6.2-8.8, Cu 4.2-96.2, Fe 18.8-126.4 and Zn 7.6-81.3μg/g dry weight). Metals such as tin, cadmium, mercury and aluminium were found to be positively carrelated between river water and fish tissue from Ora River whereas inverse relationships were found for copper, chromium and zinc. Considering Ebe River, only chromium showed (p<0.01) relationship whereas lead manganese, iron, cadmium, chromium and cobalt were positively correlatated (p<0.01).

KEYWORDS: Water; Synodontis Membranaceus; Ora and Ebe Rivers Cement factory; metal concentrations

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