Assessment of heavy metals and physicochemical parameters in fish and water samples in Sallari Pond, Tarauni Local Government Area, Kano State, Nigeria

Abstract

The present study was conducted to examine some physicochemical properties and heavy metal level in fish and water samples of Sallari pond, Kano State. The pH results ranged from 7.22 ±0.03 - 7.26 ±0. The conductivity results were all within the SON and WHO limits of 1000μs/cm except sample B (1233±0.00) which is above the limit. The results for turbidity ranged from (13.6 ± 0.01 - 15.00 ± 0.00) NTU, all the samples analyzed were within the SON and WHO limits of 5.0NTU. The result of the heavy metals in the water samples ranged from Zn (0.006±0.0001 - 0.011 ± 0.001) mg/l, Cd (0.00 ± 0.00 - 0.001±0.00) mg/l, Fe (0.03±0.01 - 0.16 ±0.01) mg/l, Cu (0.002 ± 0.00 - 0.0014±0.01) mg/l, Pb(0.0004±0.00 - 0.004±0.001) mg/l, Mn (0.0006±0.02 - 0.002±0.01) mg/l and Cr (0.00±0.00 - 0.002±0.001) mg/l. All the metal analyzed were within the SON and WHO limits of Zn(3.0), Cd(0.003), Fe(0.3), Cu (1.0), Pb (0.01), Mn (0.2) and Cr (0.05) mg/l respectively. The results for the fish samples ranged from Zn (27.20±0.00-545.60±0.01) mg/kg, Cd (3.20±0.01-51.20±0.03) mg/kg, Fe (30.40±0.05-6136.00±0.02) mg/kg, Cu (6.40±0.01-76.80±0.01) mg/kg, Pb (3.20±0.01-491.20±0.2) mg/kg, Mn (8.00±0.001-86.40±0.03) mg/kg and Cr (41.60±0.001-252.80±0.03) mg/kg. All the samples analyzed have their metal concentrations above FAO/WHO limits of Zn (40), Cd (0.1), Fe (100), Cu (30), Pb (0.4), Mn (1.0) and Cr(0.5)mg/kg. Also, the result for Bioconcentration Factor (BCF) shows that the entire metal studied have their BCF values above the USEPA Toxic Substance Control threshold limits of ≥ 5000mg/kg, which implies that the studied metals are very bioaccumulative in the fish samples and other aquatic animals in the pond.