Assessment of Toxic Trace Metals in Selected Fish Species and Parts of Domestic Animals

Abstract

The Cd, As, Pb, Cr and Se contents of fillets of ten fish species and As, Cd and Pb contents of some parts of cow and goat meats were determined by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES), after wet digestion of powdered samples with 1:1 HNO₃,/H₂O₂. The ranges obtained for the metals analyzed in fish (mg/kg, dry weight) are as follows; As (0.02-4.58), Se (0.66-1.66), Pb (0.45-4.78), Cd (0.22-2.02) and Cr (0.18-1.96). While the ranges obtained for the metals analyzed in cow meat (mg/kg, dry weight) are as follows: As (0.82-2.09), Cd (0.28-1.50) and Pb (0.80-1.42) and the range of metals analyzed in goat meat are as follows: As (0.02-4.88), Cd (0.04-0.93) and Pb (0.02-1.36). Of all the samples analyzed, the goat intestine contained the highest amount of As (4.88±0.015). Mean Pb concentrations (mg/kg) in Hydrocynus forskahlii (3.51±0.06), Clarias anguillaris (3.43±0.021), Scomber japonicus (4.61±0.043) and Scomber scombrus (4.78±0.045) exceeded the recommended limits specified by most food regulatory bodies. It is concluded that fish samples in the study area have heavy metal accumulations a little above recommended safety standards.