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Some heavy metals concentrations in shellfish and Seafood sourced from Abonnema water, a major water
body in the Nigerian Niger Delta Area, were investigated. Samples were prepared according to American
standard test methods. The total mean dry weight, dw concentration of Cadmium ranged from
0.121mg/kg – 0.716mg/kg, Lead, 0.401mg/kg – 5.531mg/kg, Magnesium, 6.101mg/kg – 640.880mg/kg,
Calcium, 4630.500mg/kg – 30723.510mg/kg, and non detectable levels were observed for Mercury.
While Tympanotonus fusca (periwinkle) shell gave the highest calcium value of 30723.510mg/kg dw, the
levels of Cadmium, Lead, Calcium and Magnesium in Penacus indicus (prawn) were significantly lower
compared to those found in the flesh of periwinkle and oyster flesh. The mean trace Lead concentrations
in the samples studied were statistically (P< 0.05) significant in T. Fusca (flesh and shell) and
Crassostrea gasar (oyster) shell, when compared with the WHO acceptable limit of 0.5 – 1.0.mg/kg. This
study therefore advocates environmental surveillance of the water and sediment quality to ensure safe
shellfish and seafood for human consumption.
Keywords:Environmental contaminants; Seafood; Shellfish; Niger Delta; Bioaccumulation; Heavy metals uptake.