K.I. OGUNGBEMI ^*#, MARGRET BOSE ADEDOKUN^*, O.O. OYEBOLA^*, YOLANDA IMADE NSA^**, RONKE LATIFAT OWOADE ^***, W. IGONIY ^****

^*Department of Physics, University of Lagos, Akoka-Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria

 ^**Department of Microbiology, University of Lagos, Akoka-Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria

^***National Institute of Radiation Protection and Research, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria

^****Department of Radiology, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, River State, Nigeria

 Abstract. The catfish Clarias gariepinus is one of the important sources of protein in the society. This work identifies and determines the concentration of manganese, zinc, nickel, chromium, cadmium, and lead in the flesh of catfish, in order to evaluate the health risk in its consumption by human beings. Samples were collected from eight different points, the edible parts separated and then deried. Digestion was carried out and the solutions were analyzed by atomic absorption spectroscopy in order to detect the above mentioned metals. The average daily intakes of Mn, Zn, Pb, Ni, Cr, and Cd were: 0.049, 0.035, 0.020, 0.002, 0.003, and 0.001 respectively for adults and: 0.127, 0.091, 0.053, 0.005, 0.007, and 0.003 respectively for children. Pb is one of the metals with higher rate of intake in some of the samples hence suspected to cause a higher toxicity. However, its hazard quotient (HQ) and health index (HI) are less than unity. Thus, the probability of developing cancer as a result of consuming catfish from Ogudu Creek, Lagos Southwest Nigeria, is one in ten-thousandth during a life time.Therefore, the flesh of Clarias gariepinus is good for human consumption.

 Key words: Clarias gariepinus, toxic metals, health index, cancer risk, environment, pollution

Corresponding author’s e-mail:  kogungbemi@unilag.edu.ng, Phone: +2348134443165