Heavy metal pollution: Igbokoda River community at risk —Study

People living in the community situated around Igbokoda River, an oil-producing area in Ondo State, are at risk, as a study has shown that the river suffers pollution from heavy metals.

According to the study conducted early last year by a team of researchers from the departments of Veterinary Physiology,Biochemistry and Pharmacology, University of Ibadan; Biochemistry, Lead City University, and Veterinary Medicine, University of Ibadan, consumption of fishes from the river may be unsafe for people in the surrounding community.

The researchers, Oluwtosin Arojojoye, Ademola Oyagbemi and Jeremiah Afolabi, sought to evaluate the pollution status of Igbokoda River by taking samples of a species of fish from the river and the same species from a clean fish farm to serve as control.

They said, “Markers of oxidative stress and levels of heavy metals namely lead, cadmium, copper, arsenite and nickel were determined in the liver and muscle of fish samples from both sites. Water samples from both sites were also analysed for heavy metals.”

Results from the analysis showed that there was significant increase in the concentration of the heavy metals in water samples, as well as in the liver and muscle of fish samples from Igbokoda River compared with the control samples.

“A significant increase in markers of oxidative stress as well as reduction in total protein was observed in the liver and muscle of fish samples from the contaminated site compared with control. Furthermore, the total suspended solids, total dissolved solids, total hardness and conductivity rate of water sample from Igbokoda River were significantly higher than the control water sample. Coliforms and salmonella were also visible in Igbokoda River but not found in the control water sample.”

It will be noted that in Nigeria, as with most developing countries, increased human activities have adversely affected the state of aquatic life, with grave consequences on human health and on the ecosystem.