Seasonal Assessment of Bio-accumulation and Potential Human Health Risk of Heavy Metals in Periwinkle (Typanotonus fuscatus var radula) from the Great Kwa River, Nigeria
Keywords:
Periwinkle, Great Kwa River, heavy metals, bio-accumulation and bio-magnification, health risk assessmentAbstract
Seasonal changes, anthropogenic and other natural processes, introduce waste and waste materials, including heavy metals, into the rivers of Niger Delta region of Nigeria. This study assessed the bioaccumulation of heavy metals in periwinkle and the potential health risk associated with consuming this seafood from the Great Kwa River, Nigeria. The mud and periwinkle samples were collected from four marked points along the water course to cover both wet and dry seasons. After wet digestion, the heavy metal analysis was carried out using an Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. The metal elements analyzed were cobalt, iron, copper, cadmium, and lead. The level of cadmium in the periwinkle was higher in the dry season than in the wet season and exceeded the World Health Organization/Food and Agriculture Organization permissible limit in seafood. Cobalt, iron, and copper concentrations were higher in the wet season than in the dry season. Cadmium had the highest bioaccumulation in the dry season, while copper had the highest bioaccumulation in the wet season. The Estimated Daily Intakes were lower than their upper tolerable limits. The Target Hazard Quotients did not exceed standard values. The Hazard Index was 0.0933 and 0.0619 for the dry and wet seasons, respectively. The incremental lifetime cancer risk of cadmium was 8.4 x10-5, and that of lead was 3.9 x 10-7. These values were within the tolerable or acceptable range for cadmium and lead. Consumption of periwinkle from the Great Kwa River may not pose any significant human health risk due to heavy metal poisoning.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Michael O. Odey, Solomon O. Effiong, Iwara A. Iwara, Eze A. Adindu, Eve O. Mboso, Catherine I. Ukam, Peter B. Enyievi, Emmanuel O. Ofutet, Edward O. Emuru, Brian Osoro (Author)

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