Open AccessEvaluation of Heavy Metal Contents and Potential Human Health Risk Assessment of Selected Canned Sardines Fish Sold in Yenagoa, Nigeria
Author(s) -
Odangowei Inetiminebi Ogidi,
Chiemeziem Njoku,
Adubazi Momohjimoh Onimisi,
Peter Onomedjeke
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
archives of ecotoxicology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2644-4747
DOI - 10.36547/ae.2021.3.2.39-43
Subject(s) - sardine , hazard quotient , cadmium , environmental chemistry , heavy metals , tolerable daily intake , fish <actinopterygii> , atomic absorption spectroscopy , toxicology , environmental science , chemistry , human health , environmental health , metallurgy , biology , medicine , fishery , body weight , materials science , physics , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics , endocrinology
Canned sardine fish is consumed regularly in all countries. The levels of heavy metals which are present in the environment could constitute a hazard to food security and public health. These can be accumulated in aquatic animals such as fish. In this study, selected heavy metals: Copper (Cu), Nickel (Ni), Chromium (Cr), Zinc (Zn), Cadmium (Cd), Manganese (Mn), Lead (Pb) and Iron (Fe) were evaluated in Sardines that are commonly consumed in Nigeria. Eight different brands of canned sardines were purchased in Yenagoa and were taken to the Laboratory for heavy metal analysis. Standard wet digestion procedure was adopted for sample preparation while Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) technique was adopted for metal analysis. The results show that heavy metal concentrations of Fe in the samples were above World Health Organization (WHO) and United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) permissible limits, while Zn was below the permissible limits. However, Pb, Cu, Cd, Cr, Ni and Mn were below detectable limits in all the samples. Daily intake of metal (DIM) values in the sardine samples for Zn and Fe were significantly lower than the recommended daily intake and the upper tolerable daily intake levels. The Health risk index (HRI), Target hazard quotient (THQ) and Hazard Index (HI) for Zn and Fe in this study were less than 1(˂1) for both adult and children, therefore, the canned sardines does not pose a potential human health risk concern for the consumers. However, the high Fe concentrations in all the sardine samples may cause public health concern as they are above WHO and USEPA tolerable limits.