Assessment of Heavy Metals in Water sediment and Fish in Ipot-Keiti, South West Nigeria

The assessment of surface and underground water as well as associated sediments in Ipoti-Ekiti was done to determine the heavy metals concentration in the matrices. Similar assessment was carried out on the sediment obtained from surface water and the fish in the community’s fish pond. The fish was divided into: head, gills, internal organs and muscle tissue. All samples on water, sediment and fish samples were analysed for Pb, Cd, Mn, Fe and Cu. The results of the analyses in water samples show that all the values are below WHO’s permissible limits except the pond water that contained high level of Pb and Cd and the two river water that contained Cu above permissible limit. All the metals were widely distributed in the water samples and water sediments. However, the values obtained in the sediments were greater than the values obtained in the water samples. The result of the metal concentration in the fish parts revealed that the internal organs i.e. the stomach, liver, kidney and intestine, had the highest concentration of the metals analysed. This was followed by the gills, the head and the tissue. From the study, it could be seen that metal concentration in fish and sediment were greater than metal concentration in the water sample. The result of the fish analysis also revealed that a substantial amount of metals are concentrated in the fish head. The various ways to avoid heavy metal pollution of our water bodies were suggested so as to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals of the nation in terms of potable water supply.

Author(s): Akodu D Olayinka and Ajayi O Olubode

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