Research Article: Heavy metals concentration profile of an aquatic environment and health implications of human exposure to fish and prawn species from an urban river (Densu)

Abstract

Fish is a good source of protein; however, certain anthropogenic activities can contaminate their habitat with elevated heavy metals levels. In this study, copper, lead, mercury, cadmium, and arsenic in fish tissue, water and sediment were determined using PerkinElmer PINAAcle 900T Graphite AAS. Standard indices in human health risk assessment were used to estimate non-carcinogenic implications associated with consuming Clarias batrachus, Clarias gariepinus, Hemichromis fasciatus, Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus, and Macrobrachium rosenbergii from Densu River. Heavy metal concentration levels recorded in November 2017 were in the order of surface water 1), an indication of a non-cancer risk to consumers.