Heavy Metal Uptake and Bioaccumulation by Mangrove Grab ( Goniopsis pelli  ) from used Drilling Mud, Niger Delta, Nigeria

This study was carried out to evaluate some heavy metal uptake and bioaccumulation in the meat, egg and shell of G. pelli from used drilling mud. The experimental approach involved the exposure of ten of the test organism G. pelli to six acute concentrations of drilling mud representing 0% (control), 10%, 20%, 30%, 40% and 50% for 96 hours in three replicates after the range finding test was conducted to determine the LC₅₀. From the LC₅₀, the test organism was further exposed to four sub-lethal concentrations of drilling mud (0%, 5%, 10% and 15%) for 21 days to evaluate the heavy metal uptake by the test organism. the result showed that heavy metal uptake increased in the order of meat (<0.001-2.36±0.12), shell (<0.001-3.31±0.19) and egg (<0.001-0.54±0.05) when compared with those in control tank. Copper was highest (3.31μg/g) in the shell and lowest (0.26μg/g) in the egg; zinc was highest (2.36μg/g) in the meat and lowest (0.22μg/g) in the shell; chromium was highest (0.12μg/g) in the meat and lowest (0.06μg/g) in the egg; cadmium was highest (0.2μg/g) in the shell and lowest (0.001μg/g) in the egg while lead had equal value (<0.001) in the meat, shell and egg of the test organism. This could pose a very serious health challenge to the consumers of G. pelli and other aquatic fishery resources if nothing is done to ensure the best practice in drilling activities in other to avoid pollution of the water bodies through drilling.