Analysis of Hydrocarbon and Heavy Metal Load in Fishes and Waters in Coastal Islands
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Abstract
This study gives an explicit analysis of physico-chemical properties, heavy metals, and total hydrocarbon content (THC) for water samples obtained from the mangrove environment, as well as determining the levels of heavy metals in fishes (Clarias Gariepinus and E.fimbriata) collected from Iko, Emeroke, and Okoroette Rivers. The physical variables investigated in the course of this study were: Temperature, Electrical Conductivity and Turbidity while the chemical variables were: pH, alkalinity, dissolved oxygen, total dissolved solid, total suspended solid, total hardness, biochemical oxygen demand, total hardness, iron, sulphate, zinc, nitrate, potassium, magnesium, sodium, calcium, cobalt, in addition to Total hydrocarbon content (THC). In a bid to understand the status of petroleum contamination in the mangrove ecosystem, total petro-leum content was determined from water samples using standard scientific procedures. Six heavy metals: cadmium, chromium, copper, arsenic, lead, and mercury were taken into concentration. Seasonal variations of the various variables were taken into cognizance to ascertain whether changes in seasons affect chemical concentration in the aquatic system. As compared with the World Health Organisation standard, out of 29 tested parameters, including THC, the results of water samples for both dry and wet seasons, 14 parameters were above permissible limits, while 15 were below. Specifically, the value of hydrocarbon (THC) was above permissible limits in all the water samples. Meanwhile, the values for heavy metals in fish were above the permissible limit except for copper, whose value was slightly below the permissible limit for both seasons in the three sampled locations. The result so far obtained calls for urgent attention to save the lives of fish and surface water in oil-producing areas of Akwa Ibom State.
Keywords
Hydrocarbon; Heavy metal load; Fishes; Waters; Coastal islands
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How to cite this paper
Analysis of Hydrocarbon and Heavy Metal Load in Fishes and Waters in Coastal Islands
How to cite this paper: C. M. Abraham, I. Ansa, U. J. Jimmy, E. E. Uyouko, J. I. Inyang. (2025) Analysis of Hydrocarbon and Heavy Metal Load in Fishes and Waters in Coastal Islands. OAJRC Environmental Science, 6(1), 34-44.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/oajrces.2025.06.004
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