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ABSTRACT
This study was carried out to assess the concentration of heavy metals in Brackish Water periwinkles (Tympanotonus fuscatus) and its parasites from Warri River, Delta State, Nigeria. Periwinkles have been found to serve as intermediate hosts to some trematode parasites of man and animals. A total of 120 periwinkles were examined from Warri River and only ten (8.3%) were infected with parasites, two in the month of January, four in February and four in March and the parasites found were nematodes and cercariae. The uninfected and infected periwinkles and parasite samples were analysed for heavy metals. The highest concentration of Lead (0.10-2.50mg/Kg) was detected in the uninfected periwinkle and the lowest concentration (0.06-0.95mg/Kg) in the infected periwinkle.The highest concentration of Copper (3.24-20.87mg/Kg) was detected in the uninfected periwinkle and the lowest concentration (1.22-10.13mg/Kg) in the parasite. The highest concentration of Manganese (2.22-26.31mg/Kg) was detected in the uninfected periwinkle and the lowest concentration (2.06-14.49mg/Kg) in the parasite. The highest concentration of Zinc (6.97-18.55mg/Kg) was detected in the infected periwinkle and the lowest concentration (1.65-23.27mg/Kg) in the uninfected periwinkle. The highest concentration of Cadmium (0.03-0.49mg/Kg) was detected in the parasite and the lowest concentration (0.00-0.87mg/Kg) in the uninfected periwinkle. Some of the heavy metals analyzed exceeded the highest permissible limits in the periwinkle tissues and may pose health risks to consumers of these periwinkles.
