PT12 Metals and Bioaccumulation
Exhibit Hall
8:00 AM - Tuesday
(PT145) Effect of Petroleum Hydrocarbon Pollution of Bonny/New Calabar River Estuary on Biomagnification of Some Heavy Metals in Crustaceans.
Onwurah, I.N.1, Sibeudu, O2, 1 University of Nigeria, Department of Biochemistry, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria2 Department of Petroleum Resources,N N P C, Port Harcout, Rivers State, Nigeria
ABSTRACT- Bioaccumulation factor (BAF) is often used to assess the concentration of contaminants in organisms, while biomagnification illustrates higher concentration of toxic compounds in tissues of organisms, relative to their low concentrations in the ambient environment. Hence, the concentration dependent effect of petroleum hydrocarbon(PHC) pollution of the Bonny/New Calabar estuary, Nigeria on biomagnification of heavy metals such as zinc, copper, cadmium etc.in crab and shrimb, was studied.The result shows that at low concentrations of PHC in the sediment, the accumulation of copper for example in the crab, was lower than the value obtained for other crabs caught from sediment having higher PHC load,in spite of the insignificant difference in the concentrations of copper in the sediments sampled.This trend was observed in crabs and shrimps for most of the other heavy metals analysed.This then suggests that in spite of the low concentrations of these heavy metals in the sediment,PHC pollution might be a major factor regulating the uptake and biomagnification of these heavy metals in the crustaceans found in this estuary.The consequences of this biomagnification effect , especially on the indigenous Niger Delta populace who consume so much of these crabs and shrimps is discussed in the light of ecological and human health.
Key words: heavy metals, biomagnification, petroleum hydrocarbon, crustaceans