Assessment of Heavy Metals Bioccumulation in Wild Fish Species from Argungu River, and Associated Health Risks in Human Consumption
Main Article Content
Abstract
Freshwater pollution by heavy metals has become a critical global environmental concern with significant implications on ecosystem integrity and public health. Argungu River is a historical freshwater ecosystem with valuable socioeconomic and cultural significance in northwestern Nigeria, hosting the famous annual fishing festival. The aim of this study was to evaluate the concentrations of selected heavy metal in five wild fish species and assess the associated human health risks. A maximum of 375 individual fishes were obtained from the fish anglers of the river at fishing hotspot. The samples were oven dried at 65˚C, and analyzed for the presence of heavy metals using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AA6300). Mean heavy metal concentrations differed significantly at p < 0.05, among species. C. gariepinus recorded the highest Fe (8.045mg·kg⁻1) and Cd (0.750mg·kg⁻1), while H. bebe had the lowest Fe (2.490mg·kg⁻1) and Cd (0.180mg·kg⁻1) concentration. Cd concentrations in C. gariepinus and T. zilli exceeded the FAO/WHO permissible limit of 0.05mg·kg⁻1. Estimated Daily Intake (EDI) values were consistently higher in children than adult, indicating greater exposure risk per body weight. The Target Hazard Quotient (THQ) value for Cd surpassed the safe limit (THQ ≤ 1) in C. gariepinus and T. zilli, signaling potential non-carcinogenic risks. Furthermore, Cancer Risk (CR) values for Cd exceeded the acceptable limit of 1 × 10-4 in H. brevis, T. zilli and C. gariepinus for both demographics, with the highest values (3.72 × 10-4 ) in C. gariepinus. Cr CR value also exceeded the threshold in children consuming C. gariepinus, while Pb CR values remained below 0.5mg·kg⁻1. Non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risk assessments confirm that children face higher exposure risk from consuming wild fish inhabiting Argungu River with Cd and Cr presenting the major toxicity. Regular monitoring and pollution control measures are urgently needed to protect the ecosystem and public health.
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Salisu, N., Umar, S. G., Umar, J., Abubakar, ’H., Abubakar, S. A., Mafara, H. M., & Jabir, M. (2026). Assessment of Heavy Metals Bioccumulation in Wild Fish Species from Argungu River, and Associated Health Risks in Human Consumption. The Bioscientist Journal, 14(2), 138-156. https://doi.org/10.54117/the_bioscientist.v14i2.224
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
References
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Jabeen, F. and Chaudhry, A. S. (2010). Environmental impacts of anthropogenic activities on the mineral uptake in Oreochromis mossambicus from Indus River in Pakista, Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 166: 641–651.
Jezierska, B., and Witeska, M. (2006). The metal uptake and accumulation in fish living in polluted waters. Soil and Water Pollution Monitoring, Protection and Remediation. Springer, 107–114.
Jiang, X., Wang, J., Pan, B., Li, D., Wang, Y. and Liu, X. (2022). Assessment of heavy metal accumulation in freshwater fish of Dongting Lake, China: effects of feeding habits, habitat preferences and body size. Journal of Environmental Science, 112: 355–365. doi: 10.1016/j.jes.2021.05.004.
John, G. G. and Andrew, B.A. (2011). Lead isotopic study of the human bioaccessibility of lead in urban soils from Glassgow, Scotland. Science of the Total Environment, 409: 4958–4965.
Kumar, V. and Dwivedi, S. K. (2021). A review on accessible techniques for removal of hexavalent chromium and divalent nickel from industrial wastewater: Recent research and future outlook. Journal of Clean Production, 295: 1262-1279.
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Ngo, H. T. T., Gerstmann, S. and Frank, H. (2011). Subchronic effects of environment like cadmium levels on the bivalve Anodonta anatina (Linnaeus 1758): III. Effects on carbonic anhydrase activity in relation to calcium metabolism. Toxicological and Environmental Chemistry, 93(9): 1815–1825.
Nowicka, B. (2022). Heavy metal–induced stress in eukaryotic algae—mechanisms of heavy metal toxicity and tolerance with particular emphasis on oxidative stress in exposed cells and the role of antioxidant response. Environmental Science and Polluted Resources, 29(12): 16860–16891.
Nyarko, E., Boateng, C. M., Asamoah, O., Edusei, M. O. and Mahu, E. (2023). Potential human health risks associated with ingestion of heavy metals through fish consumption in the Gulf of Guinea. Toxicology Reports, 10: 117–123.
Obaroh, I.O., Abubakar, U., Haruna, M.A. and Elinge, M.C. (2015). Evaluation of some Heavy Metals Concentration in River Argungu. Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Science, 10 (6): 581-586.
Odjer-Bio, N. T., Belford, E. J. D. and Ansong, M. (2015). What is happening to our Lagoons? The example of Butuah Lagoon in Ghana. International Journal of Energy and Environmental Engineering, 6:183-193.
Pinheiro, J. P. S., Windsor, F. M., Wilson, R. W. and Tyler, C. R. (2021). Global variation in freshwater physico-chemistry and its infuence on chemical toxicity in aquatic wildlife. Biological Revenue, 96(4): 1528–1546.
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Santos, D. C., Matta, S. L., Oliveira, J. A. and Santos, J. A. (2012). Histological alterations in gills of Astyanax aff. bimaculatus caused by acute exposition to zinc. Experimental Toxicology and Pathology, 64: 861–866.
Shahsavani, A., Fakhri, Y., Ferrante, M., Keramati, H., Zandsalimi, Y., Bay, A., Pouya, S. R. H., Moradi, B., Bahmani, Z. and Khaneghah, A. M. (2017). Risk assessment of heavy metals bioaccumulation: fished shrimps from the Persian Gulf. Toxin Revenue, 36 (4): 322–330.
Shakeri, A., Shakeri, R. and Mehrabi, B. (2015). Potentially toxic elements and persistent organic pollutants in water and fish at Shahid Rajaei dam, north of Iran. International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 12(7): 2201–2212.
Silbergeld, E. K. (2003). Facilitative mechanisms of lead as a carcinogen. Mutation Research, 533(1-2): 121–133. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mrfmmm.2003.0 7.010.
Umar, S. G., Liman, M. G., Muhammad, C., Abubakar, M. Y., Salisu, N., Abdullahi, S., Sani, M. and Nasiru, S. (2024). Assessment of Heavy Metals Concentrations in Five Fish Species Collected from Argungu River, Lungu and Laka Lakes in Argungu, Kebbi State. Savanna Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, 6(1): 10-20.
Usero, J., Izquierdo, C., Morillo, J. and Gracia, I. (2003). Heavy metals in fish (Solea vulgaris, Anguilla anguilla and Liza aurata) from salt marshes on the Southern atlantic coast of Spain. Environmental International, 29: 949-956.
Wang, Y. Teng, E. Liu, T., Lv, Y., Jin, X., Giesy, J. P. and Hollert, H. (2014). A national pilot scheme for monitoring and assessment of ecological integrity of surface waters in China. Environmental Development, 10: 104–107.
Wu, D., Feng, H., Zou, Y., Xiao, J., Zhang, P., Ji, Y., et al. (2023). Feeding habit specific heavy metal bioaccumulation and health risk assessment of fish in a tropical reservoir in Southern China. Fishes 8:40211. doi: 10.3390/fishes8040211
Yahaya, T., Lawal, N. A., and Faruk M. U. (2024). Contamination and risk assessment of heavy metals in water and fish obtained in Bunza River in Kebbi State, Nigeria. Environmental Health Engineering and Management Journal, 11(2): 1-10. doi 10.34172/EHEM.2024.1.10.
Adetutu, A., Adegbola, P. I. and Aborisade, A. B. (2023). Heavy metal concentrations in four fish species from the Lagos lagoon and their human health implications. Heliyon, 9: 23-43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21689.
Algül, F. and Beyhan, M. (2020). Concentrations and sources of heavy metals in shallow sediments in Lake Bafa, Turkey. Scientific Report, 10:11782-11787.
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-02068833-2.
Arulkumar, A., Paramasivam, S. and Rajaramb, R. (2017). Toxic heavy metals in commercially important food fishes collected from Palk Bay, Southeastern India, Mar. Pollution Bulletin, 119 (1): 454–459.
Ballesteros, M. L., Wunderlin, D. A. and Bistoni, M. A. (2009). Oxidative stress responses in different organs of Jenynsia multidentata exposed to Endosulfan. Ecotoxicological and Environmental Safety, 72: 199–205.
Bassey, O. B. and Chukwu, L. O. (2019). Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Fish (Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus) from Two Lagoons in Southwestern Nigeria. Journal of Toxicology and Risk Assessment, 5(2): 27-39. DOI: 10.23937/2572-4061.1510027
Bawa, D. Y., Ribah, M. I., Jega, I. S., and Oyedepo, V. O. (2018). Physicochemical Assessment Characteristics of and Heavy Metals Concentration in Freshwater from Jega River, Kebbi State, Nigeria. International Scholarly and Scientific Research and Innovation, 12(1): 38-41.
Cai, S., Zeng, B., and Li, C. (2023). Potential health risk assessment of metals in the muscle of seven wild fish species from the Wujiangdu reservoir, China. Qual. Assur. Saf. Crops Foods 15, 73–83. doi: 10.15586/qas.v15i1.1121.
Copat, C. Arena, G. Fiore, M. Ledda, C. Fallico, R. Sciacca, S. Ferrante, M. (2013). Heavy metals concentrations in fish and shellfish from eastern Mediterranean Sea: consumption advisories. Food Chemistry and Toxicology, 53: 33–37.
DesMarais, T. L. and Costa, M. (2019). Mechanisms of Chromium-Induced Toxicity. Current Opinion in Toxicology, 14: 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cotox.2019.05.00 3.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (2011). Regional Screening Level (RSL) summary table: November 2011〈https://www.epa.gov/risk/regional-screening-levels-rsls-generic-tables-〉Accessed 31/10.2024.
Ezedom, T., Asagba, S., Tonukari, N. J. (2020). Toxicological effects of the concurrent administration of cadmium and arsenic through the food chain on the liver and kidney of rats. Journal of Basic and Applied Zoology, 81(1): 16-27. doi: 10.1186/s41936-020 00146-2.
FAO/WHO (Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization) (2022). Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme CODEX Committee on Contaminants in Foods, Fifth Session. Hague, Netherlands. Available at https://www.fao.org/fao-who codexalimentarius/committees/committee/en/?committee=CCCF (Accessed April 17, 2025).
Genchi, G., Sinicropi, M. S., Lauria, G., Carocci, A. and Catalano, A. (2020). The effects of cadmium toxicity. International Journal of Environmental Resources and Public Health, 17(11): 3872-3883. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17113782.
González, R., Durante, C., Arcagni, M., Juncos, R., SecoPon, J., Crespo, E. and Narvarte, M. (2021). Efects of pollution in aquatic food chains. In: Anthropogenic pollution of aquatic ecosystems. Champion Springer, 61–89.
Griboff, J., Wunderlin, D. A. and Monferran, M. V. (2016). Metals, As and Se determination by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) in edible fish collected from three eutrophic reservoirs. Their consumption represents a risk for human health? Microchemical Journal, 10: 1016-1028. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.microc.2016.09.013.
Gwimbi, P., Kotelo, T. and Selimo, M. J. (2020). Heavy metal concentrations in sediments and 591 Cyprinus carpio from Maqalika Reservoir–Maseru, Lesotho: an analysis of potential health 592 risks to Fish consumers. Toxicology Report, 7: 475-47.
Jabeen, F. and Chaudhry, A. S. (2010). Environmental impacts of anthropogenic activities on the mineral uptake in Oreochromis mossambicus from Indus River in Pakista, Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 166: 641–651.
Jezierska, B., and Witeska, M. (2006). The metal uptake and accumulation in fish living in polluted waters. Soil and Water Pollution Monitoring, Protection and Remediation. Springer, 107–114.
Jiang, X., Wang, J., Pan, B., Li, D., Wang, Y. and Liu, X. (2022). Assessment of heavy metal accumulation in freshwater fish of Dongting Lake, China: effects of feeding habits, habitat preferences and body size. Journal of Environmental Science, 112: 355–365. doi: 10.1016/j.jes.2021.05.004.
John, G. G. and Andrew, B.A. (2011). Lead isotopic study of the human bioaccessibility of lead in urban soils from Glassgow, Scotland. Science of the Total Environment, 409: 4958–4965.
Kumar, V. and Dwivedi, S. K. (2021). A review on accessible techniques for removal of hexavalent chromium and divalent nickel from industrial wastewater: Recent research and future outlook. Journal of Clean Production, 295: 1262-1279.
Lin, H. P. (2021). Mechanisms of Cadmium Induced and Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Mutation-Driven Lung Tumorigenesis. Theses and Dissertations- Toxicology and Cancer Biology, 38-40. https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2021.356.
Maigari, A. U., Ekanem, E. O. Garba, I. H. Harami, A. and Akan, J. C. (2016). Health risk assessment for exposure to some selected heavy metals via drinking water from Dadinkowa Dam and river Gombe abbain gombe state, Northeast Nigeria. World Journal of Analytical Chemistry, 4 (1): 1–5.
Ngo, H. T. T., Gerstmann, S. and Frank, H. (2011). Subchronic effects of environment like cadmium levels on the bivalve Anodonta anatina (Linnaeus 1758): III. Effects on carbonic anhydrase activity in relation to calcium metabolism. Toxicological and Environmental Chemistry, 93(9): 1815–1825.
Nowicka, B. (2022). Heavy metal–induced stress in eukaryotic algae—mechanisms of heavy metal toxicity and tolerance with particular emphasis on oxidative stress in exposed cells and the role of antioxidant response. Environmental Science and Polluted Resources, 29(12): 16860–16891.
Nyarko, E., Boateng, C. M., Asamoah, O., Edusei, M. O. and Mahu, E. (2023). Potential human health risks associated with ingestion of heavy metals through fish consumption in the Gulf of Guinea. Toxicology Reports, 10: 117–123.
Obaroh, I.O., Abubakar, U., Haruna, M.A. and Elinge, M.C. (2015). Evaluation of some Heavy Metals Concentration in River Argungu. Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Science, 10 (6): 581-586.
Odjer-Bio, N. T., Belford, E. J. D. and Ansong, M. (2015). What is happening to our Lagoons? The example of Butuah Lagoon in Ghana. International Journal of Energy and Environmental Engineering, 6:183-193.
Pinheiro, J. P. S., Windsor, F. M., Wilson, R. W. and Tyler, C. R. (2021). Global variation in freshwater physico-chemistry and its infuence on chemical toxicity in aquatic wildlife. Biological Revenue, 96(4): 1528–1546.
Renieri, E. A., Safenkova, I.V., Alegakis, A. Κ, Slutskaya, E. S., Kokaraki, V., Kentouri, M., Dzantiev, B.B., Tsatsakis, A. M. (2019). Cadmium, lead and mercury in muscle tissue of gilthead seabream and seabass: risk evaluation for consumers. Food Chemistry and Toxicology, 124: 439–449.
Santos, D. C., Matta, S. L., Oliveira, J. A. and Santos, J. A. (2012). Histological alterations in gills of Astyanax aff. bimaculatus caused by acute exposition to zinc. Experimental Toxicology and Pathology, 64: 861–866.
Shahsavani, A., Fakhri, Y., Ferrante, M., Keramati, H., Zandsalimi, Y., Bay, A., Pouya, S. R. H., Moradi, B., Bahmani, Z. and Khaneghah, A. M. (2017). Risk assessment of heavy metals bioaccumulation: fished shrimps from the Persian Gulf. Toxin Revenue, 36 (4): 322–330.
Shakeri, A., Shakeri, R. and Mehrabi, B. (2015). Potentially toxic elements and persistent organic pollutants in water and fish at Shahid Rajaei dam, north of Iran. International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 12(7): 2201–2212.
Silbergeld, E. K. (2003). Facilitative mechanisms of lead as a carcinogen. Mutation Research, 533(1-2): 121–133. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mrfmmm.2003.0 7.010.
Umar, S. G., Liman, M. G., Muhammad, C., Abubakar, M. Y., Salisu, N., Abdullahi, S., Sani, M. and Nasiru, S. (2024). Assessment of Heavy Metals Concentrations in Five Fish Species Collected from Argungu River, Lungu and Laka Lakes in Argungu, Kebbi State. Savanna Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, 6(1): 10-20.
Usero, J., Izquierdo, C., Morillo, J. and Gracia, I. (2003). Heavy metals in fish (Solea vulgaris, Anguilla anguilla and Liza aurata) from salt marshes on the Southern atlantic coast of Spain. Environmental International, 29: 949-956.
Wang, Y. Teng, E. Liu, T., Lv, Y., Jin, X., Giesy, J. P. and Hollert, H. (2014). A national pilot scheme for monitoring and assessment of ecological integrity of surface waters in China. Environmental Development, 10: 104–107.
Wu, D., Feng, H., Zou, Y., Xiao, J., Zhang, P., Ji, Y., et al. (2023). Feeding habit specific heavy metal bioaccumulation and health risk assessment of fish in a tropical reservoir in Southern China. Fishes 8:40211. doi: 10.3390/fishes8040211
Yahaya, T., Lawal, N. A., and Faruk M. U. (2024). Contamination and risk assessment of heavy metals in water and fish obtained in Bunza River in Kebbi State, Nigeria. Environmental Health Engineering and Management Journal, 11(2): 1-10. doi 10.34172/EHEM.2024.1.10.