Health Risk Index of Trace Metals in Wild and Pond-Raised African Catfish from Wudil, Kano State, Nigeria

Document Type : Original Research Paper

Authors

Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria

10.22059/poll.2025.392469.2856

Abstract

The research evaluated the concentration of trace metals and the associated human health risk in muscle tissue of wild and pond-raised African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus) using different standard analytical methods. The results detailed the metal concentrations with significant higher values of Cr (0.041 mg kg-1) and Mn (0.113 mg kg-1) observed in the wild fish, while Cu (0.024 mg kg-1), Pb (0.015 mg kg-1) and Fe (3.301 mg kg-1) were significantly higher 
(P < 0.05) in pond-raised C. gariepinus. Furthermore, all metals except Fe were below the FAO/WHO recommended permissible levels. Notably, Fe levels in wild C. gariepinus (2.615±0.10 mg kg-1) and pond-raised (3.301±0.31 mg kg-1) were higher than the recommended 0.05 mg kg-1,
 potentially influenced by sediment Fe content and pond water sources. Analysis of daily metal intake (DIM) and health risk index (HRI) revealed that consumers of wild and pond-raised C. gariepinus in Wudil were not exposed to high doses of trace metals (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Pb, and Zn) across all age categories, with levels consistently below FAO/WHO acceptable limits. For instance, DIM results indicated daily Cd intake ranging from 0.0006 to 0.0016 mg kg-1 day-1 for wild C. gariepinus consumers and 0.0008 to 0.0010 mg kg-1 day-1 for pond-raised ones, resulting in HRI ratios below one (1) for each age category. These findings suggest that, despite elevated Fe concentrations, the consumption of C. gariepinus from the studied sources poses minimal health risk related to trace metal exposure.

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Pollution
Volume 11, Issue 4
October 2025
Pages 1384-1392

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