Haya: The Saudi Journal of Life Sciences (SJLS)
Volume-3 | Issue-03 | 259-268
Original Research Article
Levels of Heavy Metals in Water, Fish (Oreochromis niloticus) and Sediment from the Afram River, Ghana
Margaret Boohene, Wonder Agbasah
Published : March 30, 2018
Abstract
In aquatic ecosystems, metal concentrations are monitored by measuring
the levels in fish, water and sediments. Contribution of heavy metals in the water
bodies include industrial effluents, fossil fuels burning, agricultural runoffs,
geological weathering domestic waste and human and animal excretions. Water,
sediment and fish samples from the river were used to assess the levels of heavy
metals concentration in the river. The objective of this study was to measure the
concentration of levels of the heavy metals (Cd, Co, Cr, Zn, Pb, Cu, Fe, Mn and Ni)
in samples of water, fish (Oreochromis niloticus) and sediments from Afram River.
Heavy metal concentration and selected physicochemical parameters (Electrical
conductivity, Temperature, TDS and pH) of the water samples were determined.
Levels of the heavy metals (Cd, Co, Cr, Zn, Pb, Cu, Fe, Mn and Ni) in water, fish
(Oreochromis niloticus) and sediments from Afram River were determined using
VARIAN AA 240FS-Atomic Absorption Spectrometer in an acetylene- air flame. In
the fish (Oreochromis niloticus) samples, the highest concentrations of 50.46 mg/kg,
34.18 mg/kg, and 15.60 mg/kg were recorded for the metal Fe in the fish gills, bones
and muscles respectively whereas the lowest concentration of < 0.08 mg/kg was
recorded for the metal Cd in the gills, bones and muscle.