Assessment of Heavy Metals in Rana esculenta Organs from River Guma, Benue State Nigeria

Ugbidye Shaapera, Lami A. Nnamonu, Ishaq S. Eneji

Department of Chemistry, University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Benue State Nigeria.

DOI: 10.4236/ajac.2013.49063                

Abstract

The concentrations of seven heavy metals (Pb, Cu, Zn, Cr, Fe, Cd and Mn) were determined in the organs of Rana esculenta (frog) obtained from River Guma, Benue State of Nigeria using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. The analysis of the triplicate experiments showed that the intestine contained the lowest concentration (25.9%) of all the heavy metals detected, followed by the skin (30.5%), while the liver contained the highest concentration (43.6%). In all the frog organs, Fe had the highest concentration in the liver, followed by skin and lowest in the intestine. The trend of the heavy metals concentration in the organs can be represented as: Fe > Mn > Pb > Zn > Cu > Cr > Cd. The concentrations of all the metals in the liver, skin and intestine of the frog were found to be statistically significant. Generally, the levels of Pb, Fe, Cr and Mn in all the samples were analyzed above the tolerance limits by the WHO with exception of Cd, Cu and Zn that were below the permissible limits in the samples.

Keywords

Frog; Heavy Metals; Intestine; Liver; Skin

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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