Distribution of metals in Labeo coubie (Ruppel, 1832) from a National Park river in Nigeria

This study assesses heavy metals distribution in body parts of Labeo coubie (African carp) from River Oli, in Kainji Lake National Park as pollution index of the ecosystem. Fish parts samples (gills, muscles and vertebra bone) were prepared and specifically analyzed for the levels of Pb, Cr, Zn, Cu, Fe and Cd using Atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The concentration of metals in the samples at different concentrations ranged from 0.001±0.000 μg/g for Cd to 224.87±4.07 μg/g of Fe in the fish gill. There is significant (p 0.05) differences in the Pb, Zn, Cu and Fe concentrations across the different fish parts with gills accumulated the highest levels metals while Cr levels significantly (p 0.05) differed in the fish body parts and accumulated more in the muscles (10.75±0.15 μg/g). The mean concentrations of metal elements in the fish parts had shown some distinguish connection in its distributions with Pb and Cu; Gills Muscles Vertebra bones, Fe and Zinc; Gills Vertebra bones Muscles while Cr was distributed in Muscles Gill Vertebra bones. However, it is revealed that Labeo coubie, a euryphagus fish probably absorb these metals through ingestion of contaminated food or absorption by the gills and bioaccumulate in different fish parts. It is therefore established that River Oli is contaminated with heavy metals as presence of these metals in fish is an indication of its immediate environment.