Contamination by heavy metals in silver fish (Rastreneobola argentea) caught from Lakes Kyoga and Victoria, Uganda
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Date
2010
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
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Publisher
International Journal of Environmental Studies
Abstract
Little information exists on heavy metal contamination in silver fish (Rastreneobola argentea) caught
from Lake Victoria. A large number of Ugandans consume the species. Sun-dried silver fish were
collected from 10 landing sites on Lake Victoria, and from five control sites along Lake Kyoga. The
finely ground fish was digested with analytical reagent grade nitric acid. Analyses were performed by
atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The specimens were found to contain significantly higher
levels (p ≤ 0.05) of zinc, Zn (86.1%), copper, Cu (99.1%), cadmium, Cd (99.3%) and lead, Pb
(94.6%) compared with those from the control sites. The fish contamination was attributed to
discharge into Lake Victoria of untreated industrial and anthropogenic effluent. Although mean Zn,
Cu and Pb concentrations were still below, those of Cd were higher than the maximum permissible
levels recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). Overconsumption of the silver fish
could pose Cd-related health risks.
Description
Keywords
Lake Victoria, Lake Kyoga, Rastreneobola argentea, Contamination, Heavy metals, Uganda
Citation
Jolocam Mbabazi & John Wasswa (2010) Contamination by heavy metals in silver fish (Rastreneobolaargentea) caught from Lakes Kyoga and Victoria, Uganda, International Journal of Environmental Studies, 67:4, 543-556, DOI: 10.1080/00207233.2010.499000