Determination of fatty acid composition in <i>Hemichromis bimaculatus</i> (Gill, 1862) and <i>Eutropius Niloticus</i> (Rüppell, 1829) from Makwaye Lake Zaria, Kaduna State

Abstract

Background: Fatty acid analysis was conducted to determine the qualitative fatty acid in Hemichromis bimaculatus and Eutropius niloticus fish species. The two species of fish were obtained from Makwaye Lake, Bomo, Zari, Kaduna state. Fish oil was extracted by soxhlet extraction method and the presence of fatty acid was determined by Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GCMS). Identification of fatty acid was achieved by comparing with the retention time and molecular mass of mass spectra standard obtained from the library of GCMS machine to identify the fatty acid composition. A total of sixteen fatty acids were detected in the two fish species studied, of which six were present in both species; Cyclopropaneoctanoic acid (C16:0), palmitic acid (16:0) and Strearic acid (18:0) from saturated fatty acid (SFAs) group while Palmitoleic acid (C16:1), Oleic acid (18:1) from monounsaturated fatty acid (MFAs) group and Linoleic acid (C18:2) from polyunsaturated fatty acid (PFAs) group were present in both species. Others are (SFA): Myristic acid (C14:0), (MFA): Pentacyclic acid (C15:1), cis-Hypogeic acid (C16:1) and Gaidic acid (16:1) followed by (PFA) which is Dihomo-γ-linolenic acid (C20:2). H. bimaculatus had a total fatty acid concentration of about 11.62% (2.28% SFA, 3.35% MFA and 5.99% PFA) whereas E. niloticus had a total fatty acid concentration of about 58.99% (3.02% SFA, 1.89% MFA and 54.08% PFA). Among the two species the most dominant fatty acid was Linoleic acid in H. bimaculatus with an area percentage of 10.56% and in E. niloticus with 54.08% respectively. The relative abundance of fatty acid can be attributed to temperature and dietary intake of the fish; however, these fish species are good sources of highly nutritional fatty acids beneficial to man and are recommended for consumption.