Integrated Assessment of Physico-Chemical Parameters And Heavy Metal Bioaccumulation in Tilapia Guineensis From Ondo State Coastal Ecosystems
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51459/jostir.2026.2.Special-Issue-1.0288Keywords:
Food safety, Food poison, health quotient, coastal pollution, ecological risk assessmentAbstract
The presence of heavy metals in food remains an issue of public health concern. Therefore, this study determined some physico-chemical parameters of water and heavy metals’ concentration in Tilapia guineensis from Oroto creek and Mahin Lagoon in Ondo State. Water and fish samples were collected monthly from February to April 2021 and transported in ice-chest to the laboratory for analyses. The physico-chemical parameters of water were determined with Hanna multi-parameter kit while heavy metals were estimated with Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer after digestion. The temperature (29.33±0.51oC), salinity (38.33±5.38mg/l), turbidity (27.97±16.70mg/l), TDS (75.04±102.74mg/l), conductivity (45.20±29.33µS/cm), pH (7.35±0.11mg/l), DO (9.42±2.64mg/l) and BOD (2.81±2.81mg/l) recorded for Oroto Creek and temperature (29.68±0.52oC), salinity (12.08±6.60mg/l), turbidity (9.81±4.43NTU), TDS (12.39±6.44mg/l), conductivity (20.04±10.49µS/cm), pH (8.13±1.57), DO (11.90±5.89mg/l) and BOD (6.89±3.25mg/l) recorded for Mahin Lagoon indicated slight pollution in both stations (according to the Comprehensive Pollution Index). T. guineensis from Oroto creek and Mahin lagoon had concentration of Zn (14.73±6.68mg/kg) and (17.57±10.09mg/kg); Pb (0.22±0.34mg/kg) and (0.22±0.35mg/kg); Fe (19.58±4.25mg/kg) and (35.92±27.14mg/kg); Cu (0.13±0.19mg/kg) and (1.59±2.16mg/kg); Cr (0.00±0.00mg/kg) and (9.01±11.32mg/kg); Cd (0.09±0.11mg/kg) and (0.09±0.012mg/kg); Ni (1.42±1.60mg/kg) and (11.33±8.74mg/kg); Co (0.69±0.54mg/kg) and (1.30±0.75mg/kg) respectively. The ecological risk quotient showed that Fe and Ni posed ecological risk to T. gunieensis in both stations. The health risk assessments revealed that there may be non-carcinogenic health risk for the consumers of T. guineensis from the study area while there was no carcinogenic risk associated with the fish consumption; hence, urgent monitoring and clean-up programme is recommended in and around the study area.
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