TITLE:
Assessment of Heavy Metals in Rana esculenta Organs from River Guma, Benue State Nigeria
AUTHORS:
Ugbidye Shaapera, Lami A. Nnamonu, Ishaq S. Eneji
KEYWORDS:
Frog; Heavy Metals; Intestine; Liver; Skin
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Analytical Chemistry,
Vol.4 No.9,
September
16,
2013
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.