Assessment of Heavy Metals Concentrations and Health Risk in Fish from Creeks around Okrika Communities, Rivers State, Nigeria

The Okrika creeks, rivers and streams in Rivers State, Nigeria are vital component of the Niger Delta region’s marine ecosystem that supports various aquatic life and socioeconomic activities. This marine ecosystem is facing significant environmental challenges due to anthropogenic activities such as oil and gas exploration, production operations, chemical and fertiliser production operations, including marine transportation which have led to the release of various pollutants, including xenobiotic substances, into the marine environment. This research assessed the levels of heavy metals in fish from creeks around Okrika Communities, Rivers State. The study employed an integrated mixed-methods research approach, utilising a spatial experimental and cross-sectional design. Purposive sampling was conducted across four strategic creeks:Okochiri, Ekerekana, Okpoka-Toru and Oba Amaselected due to their proximity to major pollution point sources such as industrial effluent discharge points. Samples of fish were collected during wet and dry seasons to account for temporal variability. The concentrations of heavy metals were determined with Buck AA 500 Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. The results revealed a compromised aquatic environment with the most prevalent metals, Fe (0.200 ±0.098 – 0.284± 0.045) and Zn (0.066 ± 0.028 – 0.184 ± 0.247). The health risk assessment for heavy metals demonstrated that both the Hazard Quotient (HQ) and Hazard Index (HI) values for ingestion and dermal exposure were below 1 for children and adults. The human health risk assessment yielded hazard indices and carcinogenic risk values that indicated significant potential for adverse health outcomes in the local population, particularly through long-term consumption of contaminated fish. This study provides evidence that the creeks around Okrika communities are polluted by toxic heavy metals linked to anthropogenic activities, resulting in an ecosystem under severe duress and posing a clear and present danger to public health. The bioaccumulation of metals in fish, a staple food source, represents a critical exposure pathway for the community; hence the study recommends public health advisories to educate the local population on the risks associated with consuming fish from these creeks.