LEAD AND CADMIUM TOXICITY IN TWO FISH SPECIES COMMONLY CONSUMED IN SOUTH WEST NIGERIA AND HEALTH RISK ASSESSMENT

Abstract

Lead and Cadmium are two toxic heavy metals that have the ability to bioaccumulate in human body system even at low concentrations when ingested. This present study is aimed at assessing the concentrations of Cadmium (Cd) and Lead (Pb) in the tissues of raw and smoked fishes of Clupea harengus (Herring fish) and Gadus morhua (Cod fish) collected from food vendors in selected local government areas in Ibadan, Oyo state. The tissues were digested using standard procedure and analysed with Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS). The result revealed the mean concentration of Cadmium in the tissue of Gadus morhua (Cod fish) was 91% higher than that of Lead. The mean concentration of Lead and Cadmium in the Cod fish sample was observed to be lower in the smoked sample (0.02mg/kg and 0.42mg/kg) than in the raw sample (0.04mg/kg and 0.49mg/kg). Higher level of Lead (33.3%) and Cadmium (46.5%) were observed in the Cod fish than Herring fish. All the fish samples showed concentrations lower than the permissible limits of World Health Organization (WHO) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) (0.3 mg/kg for Lead and 0.5 mg/kg for Cadmium). The health risk assessment (THQ < 1) on consumption of both fish tissues obtained suggest that there is no obvious health risk to human populace on ingestion over a period of a year.