Determination of Heavy Metals Concentration in Some Selected Seafood Obtained from Imo River in Oyigbo Local Government Area, River State

The aim of this study was to determine the heavy metals concentration in some selected sea foods obtained from Imo Rivers. Fresh samples of prawn, crab and water snail as well as the river water samples were obtained from Imo River and taken to the laboratory for analysis. The concentration of heavy metals in the seafoods and water samples were determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). The heavy metal concentration in the different seafoods and water sample obtained from Imo River were as follows Cd- prawn (0.055 mg/kg), crab (0.079 mg/kg), water snail (0.080 mg/kg) and water (0.011 mg/kg); Mn- prawn (0.936 mg/kg), crab (0.409 mg/kg), water snail (1.051 mg/kg) and water (0.250 mg/kg); Pb- prawn (0.244 mg/kg), crab (0.471 mg/kg), water snail (0.444 mg/kg) and water (ND); Co- prawn (0.264 mg/kg), crab (0.252 mg/kg), water snail (0.316 mg/kg) and water (0.070 mg/kg); Cr- prawn (0.095 mg/kg), crab (0.127 mg/kg), water snail (0.149 mg/kg) and water (ND) and Ni- prawn (0.145 mg/kg), crab (0.216 mg/kg), water snail (0.456 mg/kg) and water (0.165 mg/kg). The findings of the study showed that the seafood samples contained heavy metals. The concentration of the heavy metals in the seafoods were higher than their concentration in the water sample, chromium and lead were not recorded in the water sample. The heavy metal contamination of the seafoods followed the order water snail > crab > prawn. The concentration of the heavy metals Cd, Pb, Ni and Cr were below WHO standard limit while the concentration of Mn and Co were above WHO standard limit.