Author(s): Emmanuel Tyokumbur
Studies were carried out on the bioaccumulation of some metals in the fish Sarotherodon galilaeus caught from Alaro Stream in Ibadan. Previous studies have shown that fish can bioaccumulate and retain some metals from their environment which is dependent on exposure concentration, temperature, water hardness and metabolism of the animals, duration, as well as other factors such as salinity and lipid levels. In this study, the bioaccumulation of the some metals namely sodium (Na), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), silver (Ag) and zinc (Zn) in the fish Sarotherodon galilaeus caught from Alaro Stream in Ibadan was studied to ascertain the health risks associated with human consumption of the fish. The results showed that all the mean Na in the organs and tissues of S. galilaeus exceeded the recommended taste limit of 200 ppm. The highest mean Mg was in the bone (2684 ppm) while the lowest was 498 ppm (muscle) in the order: muscle