A study of heavy metals in fish from the yellow jacket river, Mazowe, Zimbabwe

Author

Chitiyo, Tanaka A.

Title

A study of heavy metals in fish from the yellow jacket river, Mazowe, Zimbabwe

Abstract

This study investigated heavy metal concentrations in fish (Clarias gariepinus/catfish and Oreochromis niloticus/Nile tilapia) from the Yellow Jacket River in Mazowe, Mashonaland Central Province, Zimbabwe. The objectives of this study were to determine the levels of heavy metals {nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn)} in Clarias gariepinus/Catfish and Oreochromis niloticus/Nile Tilapia from the Yellow Jacket River. Twelve (12) Clarias gariepinus/Catfish and eight (8) Oreochromis niloticus/Nile Tilapia were collected from the Yellow Jacket River and analyzed for heavy metal concentration using an Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS). The results of the study showed that the average zinc concentration in Nile tilapia was (mean = 0.7989 ppm; standard deviation = 0.9204 ppm). The mean nickel concentration was (mean=0.3866 ppm; standard deviation=0.2824 ppm). The average lead concentration was (mean = 1.0046 ppm; standard deviation = 0.11014 ppm). The mean concentration of Zinc in Catfish was (mean = 0.7695 ppm; standard deviation = 0.4500 ppm). The average nickel concentration was (mean=0.2500 ppm; standard deviation=0.12734 ppm). The mean lead concentration was (mean = 0.8421 ppm; standard deviation = 0.39523 ppm). Therefore, this study indicates that the heavy metal concentrations detected in the fish samples examined were above internationally accepted standards such as (WHO, 200, FAO, 2003; USFDA, 1993; EC, 2001).

Date

2022

Publisher

BUSE

Keywords

Bioaccumulation

Heavy metals

Water pollution

Supervisor

Mhlanga, Wilson