Heavy Metal Dynamics and Bioaccumulation in Fin and Shellfish Species from a Tropical Estuary of Southwestern Nigeria

Gloria E. Ajani^1,

¹Department of Biological Oceanography, Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research, 3, Wilmot Point Street, Victoria Island, Lagos

Cite this paper:
Gloria E. Ajani. Heavy Metal Dynamics and Bioaccumulation in Fin and Shellfish Species from a Tropical Estuary of Southwestern Nigeria. Applied Ecology and Environmental Sciences. 2022; 10(4):256-260. doi: 10.12691/aees-10-4-11

Abstract

Fin and shellfish species inhabiting a polluted environment are exposed to heavy metal contaminations. The Lagos Lagoon is a polluted aquatic habitat that receives a huge amount of untreated industrial and municipal effluents from Lagos city and adjoining rivers. The aim of this study is to determine the dynamics, concentration and bioaccumulation potential of four heavy metals (Pb, Zn, Cu and Cr) in four economic important fin and shellfish species (Sardinella maderensis (SM), Pseudotholithus elongatus (PE), and Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus (CN) and shrimp (Peaenus monodon (PM)) from three sampling stations: Apapa, Makoko and Ibeshe). The metal concentrations in different sampling stations in this study differed significantly in the order of Zn>Cr>Pb>Cu, Cr>Cu>Zn>Pb and Cr>Zn>Cu>Pb at Apapa, Makoko and Ibeshe respectively. The study also demonstrates that Zn and Pb were the most and least accumulated metals, respectively. Heavy metal concentrations in fish muscles were high and above recommended standard for aquatic life. Generally, the distribution of metal concentrations in species is as follows P. monodon>C. nigrodigitatus>P. elongatus>S. maderensis. Heavy metal concentrations varied significantly depending on fish species and highest concentrations were found P. monodon followed by C. nigrodigitatus. This suggests that PM and CN accumulated more metals than other species and which can be related to their feeding habits. This study shows that essential metals such has zinc and chromium have a higher accumulation potential in fish and shrimp in this habitat. This reflects the role these metals play in promoting immune and adaptive mechanisms against environmental pollution.

Keywords:
fin and shellfish species heavy metal concentrations Lagos Lagoon

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

References:

[1]	M. S. Islam, M. B. Hossain, A. Matin and M. S. I. Sarker. “Assessment of heavy metal pollution, distribution and source apportionment in the sediment from Feni River Estuary,” Bangladesh. Chemosphere, vol. 202, pp. 25-32, 2018.
[2]	G. E. Ajani. “Temporal and spatial variations in growth and activity of antioxidant defense enzymes of fin- and shell-fishes from Lagos Lagoon,” Ph.D Thesis, University of Ibadan, Nigeria, pp. 20-33, 2021.
[3]	K. Aytekin, D. Kargin, H. Cogun, H. and Temiz, O. “Accumulation and health risk assessment of heavy metals in tissues of the shrimp and fish species from the Yumurtalik coast of Iskenderun Gulf, Turkey,” Heliyon, vol. 5 no. 1, pp. 21-31, 2019.
[4]	A. S. Ahmed, S. Sultana, A. Habib and H. Ullah. “Bioaccumulation of heavy metals in some commercially important fishes from a tropical river estuary suggests higher potential health risk in children than adults,” PLoS ONE, vol. 14, no. 10: e0219336, 2019.
[5]	A. Idriss and A. Ahmad. “Heavy metal concentrations in fishes from Juru River, estimation of the health risk,” Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, vol. 94, pp. 204-211, 2015.
[6]	O. S. Ogunola, O. A. Onada, and A. E. Falaye. “Ecological Risk Evaluation of Biological and Geochemical Trace Metals in Okrika Estuary,” International Journal of Environmental Research, vol. 11:149-173, 2017.
[7]	J. E. Webb. “The ecology of Lagos Lagoon, some physical properties of lagoon deposits,” Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences, vol. 241, no. 683 pp. 393-419, 1958.
[8]	K. Don-pedro, E. Oyewo and A. Otitoloju. “Trend of heavy metals concentrations in Lagos Lagoon ecosystem, Nigeria,” West African Journal of Applied Ecology, vol 5, no. 1, pp. 10-17, 2004.
[9]	S. O. Fagade, and C. I. O. Olaniyan. “Seasonal distribution of the fish fauna of the Lagos Lagoon,” Aquaculture, vol. 36, no.1, pp. 244-252, 1974.
[10]	C. I. Olaniyan. “The seasonal variation in the hydrology and total plankton of the lagoon of South-Western Nigeria,” Nigerian Journal of Science, vol. 3 pp. 101-119, 1968.
[11]	O. A. Nubi, E. A. Ajao, and A.T. Nubi. “Pollution assessment of the impact of coastal activities on Lagos Lagoon,” Science World Journal, vol. 3, pp. 1-14, 2008.
[12]	A. A. Otitoloju, K. N. Don-Pedro, and E. O. Oyewo. “Assessment of potential ecological disruption based on heavy metal toxicity, accumulation and distribution in media of the Lagos Lagoon,” African Journal of Ecology, vol. 45 pp. 454-463, 2007.
[13]	M. O. Obafemi. “Lagos Lagoon coastal profile: Information database for planning theory,” A technical report from Urban and regional planning Department, University of Lagos, pp. 22, 2008.
[14]	Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO)/Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (FAO/SIDA). “Manual of methods in aquatic environmental research, part 9. Analyses of metals and organochlorines in fish,” FAO Fisheries. Technical paper, pp. 212, 1983.
[15]	H. Kingston and L. Jassie. “Introduction to microwave sample preparation,” American Chemical Society, pp. 54, 1988.
[16]	Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO). “Field guide to the commercial marine resources of the Gulf of Guinea,” FAO species identification sheets, pp. 268, 2016.
[17]	P. Sivaperumal, T. Sankar, and P. V. Nair. “Heavy metal concentrations in fish, shellfish and fish products from internal markets of India vis-a-vis international standards,” Food Chemistry, vol. 102, no. 3, pp. 612-620, 2007.
[18]	S. Rajeshkumar and X. Li. “Bioaccumulation of heavy metals in fish species from the Meiliang Bay, Taihu Lake, China,” Toxicology Reports, vol. 5, pp. 288-295, 2018
[19]	G. Rejomon, M. Nair and T. Joseph. “Trace metal dynamics in fishes from the southwest coast of India,” Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, vol. 167 pp. 243-255, 2010.
[20]	P. Weber, E. R. Behr, and C. D. L. Knorr. “Metals in the water, sediment, and tissues of two fish species from different trophic levels in a subtropical Brazilian river,” Microchemical Journal, vol. 6, pp. 61-66, 2013.