Full Length Research Paper

Polychlorinated biphenyl in fish samples from Lagos Lagoon, Nigeria

David Adeyemi¹, Grace Ukpo¹, Chimezie Anyakora¹* and JohnPaul Uyimadu²

¹Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Lagos, Idi Araba Campus, Surulere, Lagos, Nigeria.

²Nigerian Institute of Oceanography and Marine Research, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: chimezie@email.com. Tel: +234-802 313 1333.

Accepted 24 February, 2009

Several fish samples from the Lagos lagoon, Nigeria were analyzed for the presence of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The fish species analyzed include Tilapia zilli (red belly Tilapia), Ethmalosa fimbriata (Bonga shad) and Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus (catfish). Eight PCB congeners were identified and quantified in muscle of the species analyzed. The concentration of total PCBs in samples ranged from 0.56 to 2.94 ppm. The study shows that concentrations of PCBs were higher in adult than in juvenile of most of the fish, and there was no correlation between fat content and total concentration of PCBs.  The concentration of PCBs found in fish samples in this study were above the WHO residual limit of 0.2 ppm. The concentration levels in this study were compared with the levels detected in other parts of the world. The study confirms PCBs persistence in Lagos Lagoon, despite its ban several decades ago.

Key words: PCBs, Lagos Lagoon, fish, gas chromatography (GC), persistent organic pollutants (POPs).