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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
agricultural and biological sciences
Are metals in the muscle tissue of Mozambique tilapia a threat to human health? A case study of two impoundments in the Olifants River, Limpopo province, South Africa
Annales de Limnologie, Volume 50, No. 3, Year 2014
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Description
Rural communities in South Africa are becoming increasingly reliant on freshwater fish to supplement their dietary protein requirement. Rising costs of other protein sources, increasing rural poverty and escalating rural populations are resulting in increasing consumption of fish from contaminated river systems. The Olifants River, Limpopo Basin, Eastern South Africa, has been systemically impaired and is now one of the most polluted rivers in South Africa. We measured the concentrations of metals in fish muscle tissue from two impoundments in the Olifants River (Flag Boshielo Dam and the Phalaborwa Barrage) and conducted a human health risk assessment following Heath et al., (2004) to investigate whether consumption of Oreochromis mossambicus from these impoundments posed a risk to the health of rural communities. Our results show that metals are accumulating in the muscle tissue of O. mossambicus even though the populations appear to be healthy. No patterns were observed in the ratios of the metals accumulated in the muscle tissue of O. mossambicus at each impoundment. The human health risk assessment identified that lead, antimony and chromium at Flag Boshielo Dam and lead at the Phalaborwa Barrage were above acceptable levels for the safe consumption based on a weekly 150 g fish meal. We conclude that consuming O. mossambicus from these impoundments could pose an unacceptable risk to the health of rural communities. © EDP Sciences, 2014.
Authors & Co-Authors
Addo-Bediako, Abraham
South Africa, Sovenga
University of Limpopo
Marr, Sean Murray
South Africa, Sovenga
University of Limpopo
Jooste, Antoinette
South Africa, Sovenga
University of Limpopo
Luus-Powell, Wilmien Jacoba
South Africa, Sovenga
University of Limpopo
Statistics
Citations: 37
Authors: 4
Affiliations: 1
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1051/limn/2014091
ISSN:
00034088
Study Design
Case Study
Study Approach
Qualitative
Study Locations
Mozambique
South Africa