International Science Community Association Research Journal of Chemical Sciences 2231 - 606X 3 3 2013 March 18 Assessment of Some Trace Metals Content of Oreochromis niloticus Obtained from River Okpokwu, Apa Benue State, Nigeria 70 75 EN Singh Hemlata 1 Department of physics, B. S. A. College, Mathura 281004, INDIA Rathi S.K. 2 Department of physics, B.S.A.C.E.T., Mathura 281004, INDIA Verma A.S. 3 Department of physics, Banasthali University, Rajasthan 304022, INDIA Jitareanu A. 1 University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Grigore T. Popa”, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitatii Street 16, 700115 Iasi, ROMANIA Tataringa G. 2 Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry of Romanian University, ”Petru Poni”, Grigore Ghica Voda Street 41, 700487 Iasi, ROMANIA Zbancioc A-M. 3 Tuchilus C. 4 Balan M. 5 Stanescu U. 6 Gutta Sridevi 1 Department of Physics, V.R. Siddhartha Engineering College,Vijayawada,INDIA K.M. Gangotri 1 Photochemistry Laboratroy, Department of Chemistry, Jai Narain Vyas University, Jodhpur, Rajasthan-342001, INDIA Lal Mohan 2 Sharma S.K. 1 Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Kota, Kota, Rajasthan, INDIA Sharma I.K. 2 Department of Chemistry, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, Rajasthan, INDIA Verma P.S. 3 Lisnyak V.V. 1 Kyiv National Taras Shevchenko University, 01601 Kyiv, UKRAINE Ischenko E.V. 2 V.N. Bakul Institute for Superhard Materials, 04074 Kyiv, UKRAINE Stratiichuk D.A. 3 Zaderko A.N. 4 Boldyrieva O.Yu. 5 Safonova V.V. 6 Yatsymyrskyi A.V. 7 M Al-Mamun 1 Department of Chemistry, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet3114, BANGLADESH Poostforush M. 2 Department of Polymer Engineering, Islamic Azad University, South Tehran Branch, Tehran, IRAN S.A. Mukul 3 School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane Qld 4072, AUSTRALIA M.A. Subhan 4 Patni Neha 1 Chemical Engineering Department, Nirma Institute of Technology, Nirma University, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, INDIA Bhomia Chintan 2 Dasgupta Pallavi 3 Tripathi Neha 4 Rajasekar K. 1 Department of Chemistry, Government Arts College, Ariyalur-621713, INDIA PG and Research Ramach 2 Department of Chemistry, Bishop Heber College (Autonomous), Tiruchirappalli-620 017, INDIA ramoorthyT. 3 Balasubramaniyan S. 4 Zainol NoorAinee 1 School of Civil Engineering, Engineering Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 14300 Nibong Tebal, Penang, MALAYSIA Aziz HamidiAbdul 2 Nurazim Ibrahim 3 Chaudhary Neeru 1 Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, INDIA Balomajumder Chandrajit 2 Jagati Vidyasagar 3 C. Karthika 1 M Sekar 2 Abah J. 1 Department of Chemistry, Benue State University, P.M.B. 102119, Makurdi NIGERIA Ubwa S.T. 2 Onyejefu D.I. 3 Nomor S.A. 4 > Research Paper 2013 2 5 2013 March 18 This study was conducted with the aim of determining the concentrations of As, Mn, Cu, Pb, Cd and Fe in whole Oreochromis niloticus (tilapia) and its fresh water habitat using recommended analytical procedures and compare the results with WHO‟s permissible limits. Samples of fresh water and the fish were collected weekly at the peak of rainy and dry seasons in the study area (October, 2010 and February, 2011) respectively at three locations; Auke, Odejo and Ochalanya along the river. Across the sampling points, the results obtained using Unicam Solar (32) Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer showed that the trace metal contents of Oreochromis niloticus varied between 0.05±0.01µg/g As to 0.38±0.04µg/g Fe in October, 2010 and 0.09±0.03µg/g As to 0.28±0.02µg/g Fe in February, 2011. The water levels of the trace metals ranged from 0.06±0.02µg/L As to 1.24±0.05µg/L Fe in October, 2010 and 0.04±0.01µg/L As to 0.59±0.10µg/L Fe in February, 2011. There were positive correlations between the concentrations of the trace elements in the whole fish and river water. T-test analyses of the levels of the trace metals between the sampling periods were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The levels of the trace metals recorded in this study were below WHO‟s permissible limits. Therefore, the water and Oreochromis niloticus obtained from the study area have not become contaminated by the trace metals studied. However, periodic review should be sustained to monitor possible accumulations of the heavy metals in future due to the proliferation of anthropogenic activities around river Okpokwu. Copyright@ International Science Community Association