Trace Metals in Water, Bottom Sediment, Shrimp and Dependent Human Blood in Ukwuani Local Government Area of Delta State, Nigeria
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SCIENCEDOMAIN international
Abstract
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Trace metals (Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd and Cr) levels were investigated in the water, bottom
sediment, shrimp (Macrobrachium vollenhovenii) of Okumeshi River using Atomic Absorption
Spectrophotometer (ASS);and blood of individuals that feed on the shrimps using an Inductively
Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS).The descriptive statistics such as the mean, range
and standard error were for significant differences in the heavy metals, nutrients and total
hydrocarbons in water and sediment samples was done using ANOVA (P < 0.05). Duncan Multiple
Range (DMR) test was used to identify the source of variance using SPSS version 19.1.The order
of accumulation in the matrices studied was bottom sediment > shrimp > water > human blood.
High level of zinc and copper in human blood can be attributed to their high concentrations in all environmental matrices. It can also be attributed to the high biological accumulation factors of the
metals in the shrimp. Copper also has a high essentiality in the respiratory pigment haemocyanin of
shrimps. These facts are buttressed by the significant correlations of copper and zinc
concentrations in the shrimp with their concentrations in human blood. The observed insalubrity of
the shrimps is a prognostic of chronic health hazards to the consumers; which is also a function of
the predominant oil exploration activities. Copper had an uninterrupted transit into the blood of the
consumers from the aqueous phase. While zinc showed some significant level of biomagnification.
The study provided an early signal of likely impending catastrophe; necessitating a proactive
regulation of trace metals released into the aquatic system through the prevalent anthropogenic
activities; mainly oil exploration.
Keywords
QH Natural history, QH301 Biology, QL Zoology