Amare Aregahegn Dubale

Determination of Heavy Metals in Different Fish of Lake Abaya Amare Aregahegn Dubale

Fish is one of our most valuable sources of protein food. Worldwide, people obtain about 25% of their animal protein from fish and shellfish. Fish, apart of being a good source of digestible protein vitamins, minerals and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), are also an important source of heavy metals. Some of the metals found in the fish might be essential as they play important role in biological system of the fish as well as in human being, some of them may also be toxic as might cause a serious damage in human health even in trace amount at a certain limit. The common heavy metals that are found in fish include copper, iron, zinc, manganese, mercury, lead and cadmium. The consequence of heavy metal pollution can be hazardous to man through his food. The increasing importance of fish as a source of protein and the interest in understanding the accumulation of heavy metals at the trophic levels of food chain, extend the focus towards fish. Therefore, it is important to monitor heavy metals in aquatic environments (fish, water and sediment). This book, therefore, provides the metal content of Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), Nile Perch (Lates niloticus) and Bagrus (Bagrus docmac)