Clarias gariepinusis commonly known as catfish and is rich in protein. It is found in North Africa and also a common economical food in Nigeria. Heavy metals concentration within fish is a problem to health because of the high rate of consumption of fish by people. The aim of the research is to determine the heavy metals content in feeds and Clarias fish harvested from three different fish ponds. Feeds and fish were collected from three different fish ponds in Zaria Nigeria, Biological science (BS) ABU, Area BZ ABU and Division of Agricultural college (DAC) ponds. Heavy metals of Pb, Cr, Cd, Cu and Zn were determined in fish feeds and various parts of fish such as flesh and bone of Clarias fish. The results showed that Biological sciences has higher concentration of Pb (0.35 ± 014 mg/kg), Cu (1.63± 0.08 mg/kg) while, area BZ has high content of Cd (0.70± 0.00mg/kg) and Zn (5.55 ± 0.53 mg/kg) and DAC has higher concentration of Cr (4.99 ± 0.69 mg/kg) in fish feed respectively. In various fish parts, Biological science had high content of Pb (0.67 ± 0.09 mg/kg), Cr ( 5.46± 0.76 mg/kg) small size, Cd (0.12 ± 0.01mg/kg) large size and Area BZ of Cu (3.93 ± 0.05mg/kg) small size and Zn (6.26 ± 0.87mg/kg) large size of fleshly parts; Biological science had high content of Pb (0.88 ± 012mg/kg) large size, Cd (0.12 ±0.12 mg/kg) small size, Cu (3.02 ± 0.04mg/kg) medium, Area BZ of Cr (6.26 ± 0.87mg/kg) and DAC of Zn (5.06 ± 0.68 mg/kg) large in the boney parts; Biological science had high content of Pb (0.91 ± 0.12mg/kg), Cu (16.73 ±0.16 mg/kg) medium size, Cd (0.09 ± 0.01mg/kg) large size, Cr (5.95 ± 0.83 mg/kg) in small size and DAC of Zn (6.76 ± 0.37 mg/kg) in medium size of the gill parts of Clarias fish. The concentration of Cr was higher than permissible limit in all the locations of the fish ponds and Pb at Biological Sciences when compared to WHO/FAO standard in fish. Statistically the fish at all sampling sites showed a strong positive correlation (> 0.5) among the various parts of Clarias fish from all locations. Consumption of Clarias fish from the three locations had to be regulated due to the high content of Cr and Pb because of their health implications.
Key words: Clarias gariepinus, Fish Feeds, Heavy metals, Health risk.
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