Evaluation of Cadmium, Arsenic, Mercury, Lead, Nickel and Speciated Organometallic Compounds in Tilapia guineensis, Sarotherodon melanotheron and Mullet (Liza falcipinnis) Found in Buguma River, Rivers State, Nigeria

Author(s): Owhonda N. Kingsley

The edible flesh of guinean tilapia (Tilapia guineensis), blackchin tilapia (Sarotherondon melanotheron) and mullet (Liza falcipinnis) were collected from Buguma River for elemental studies of cadmium, mercury, arsenic, lead, nickel and organometallic forms of elements using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and Gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) respectively. The highest concentration of cadmium (1.7 mg/kg) was observed in Tilapia guineensis. They all contained about the same concentration of arsenic (0.5 mg/kg) and mercury (1 mg/kg). The highest concentration of lead was detected in Sarotherodon melanotheron (4.8 mg/kg) while the highest concentration of nickel (21.4 mg/kg) was detected in Tilapia guineensis. The organometallic compounds detected were diethoxydimethylsilane, dimethylisobutoxysilane, diethyl(trans-4-methylcyclohexyloxy) undecycloxysilane, diethyl(decycloxy)borane, [(3a)-pregn-5-ene-3,20-diyl]bis(oxy)bis[trimethyl]silane, dimethyl(4-methoxyphenoxy)dodecycloxysilane, Bis(diethylcarbamodithioato-S,S'-(T-4)zinc in Tilapia guineensis. Diethyldecycloxypentadecycloxysilane, diethoxydimethylsilane, diethyl(decycloxy)borane, dimethyl(2-naphthoxy)hexadecycloxysilane in Sarotherodon melanotheron and tetracarbonylnickel, carbonylborane, trimethylaluminum, dimethoxydimethylsilane, diethyl(decycloxy)borane, pthalocyaninedichloridegermanium in mullet.