2023, Vol. 4, Issue 2, Part A

Studies were carried out to evaluate the heavy metal burden in smoked and dried samples of meat and fish sold at Abakpa market, Enugu State and their health risk potentials using standard analytical procedures and instrumentation. The mean range for Pb in the samples (smoked fish, dried fish and stock fish) from the aquatic environment was 0.303-0.509 µg/g and was 0.212-0.274 µg/g in the samples (dried cow meat and cow ponmo) from the non-aquatic environment. Cd had a mean range of 0.117-0.227 µg/g in the fish samples and 0.039-0.079 µg/g in the meat samples. Zn had a mean range of 5.688-7.189 µg/g in the fish samples and 1.789-2.017 µg/g in the meat samples. The mean levels of the studied metals in the meat and fish samples were statistically significant. The estimated daily intakes of the studied metals by the adult population, who consumes the meat and fish samples, were within the recommended provisional tolerable daily intakes of the metals as established internationally. Constant monitoring and assessment of the food samples for possible heavy metal contamination is encouraged, considering the fact that the food samples are daily fixture in peoples’ meals and, more especially the fact that the fish samples have shown higher burden with the metals as found; in order to ensure that the consumers are not at severe health risk from the metals.