Godwin J., Vaikosen N.E., Njoku C.J., Sebye J.
Department of Chemical Sciences, Niger Delta University Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State, Nigeria; Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Niger Delta University Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State, Nigeria; Department of
Godwin, J., Department of Chemical Sciences, Niger Delta University Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State, Nigeria; Vaikosen, N.E., Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Niger Delta University Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State, Nigeria; Njoku, C.J., Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Niger Delta University Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State, Nigeria; Sebye, J., Department of Chemical Sciences, Niger Delta University Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State, Nigeria
There are numerous environmental problems associated with up-stream petroleum operations. Various drilling chemicals containing heavy metals are used and thereby released into the aquatic environment. Some of these metals are toxic and bio-accumulate in aquatic organism.Tilapia fish (tilapia nicolitica sp.) was collected from four fishing communities in Bayelsa State which had witnessed oil exploration and exploitation activities since early 1970s to date. Dry samples from studied locations were separated into flesh, gills and head. These parts were dry-ashed and analysed with spectrochemical methods for the heavy metals Cadmium, Cobalt, Lead, Nickel and Vanadium. The concentrations ranges were; Cadmium 0.09 mgKg -1 - 5.50 mgKg -1, Cobalt 5-10 mgKg -1 - 11-70 mgKg -1, Lead 1.20 mgKg -1 - 61.20 mgKg -1 and Nickel 2.10 mgKg -1 - 13.0 mgKg -1. Vanadium was below detection limit of 0.05 mgKg -1. The gills and head were found to have higher concentrations of the metals than the flesh in most of the samples.