African Journal of Food Science Research ISSN 2375-0723 Vol. 11 (3), pp. 001-005, March, 2023. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

The comparative toxicities of cadmium, copper and lead to Macrobrachium rosenbergii and Penaeus monodon postlarvae

^*1Fafioye, O.O. and ²Ogunsanwo, B.M.

¹Department of Biological Sciences, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, Nigeria.

²Department of Chemical Sciences, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, Nigeria.

Accepted 16 November, 2022

Abstract

Comparative acute toxicity tests were carried out with three heavy metals viz. cadmium, copper and lead on giant prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) and tiger prawn ( Penaeus monodon) post larvae. Lethal concentrations at which 50% of the shrimp died (LC₅₀) at 96 h were 3.23 mg/l Cd, 3.02 mg/l Cu and 10.0 mg/l Pb for M. rosenbergii; 2.91 mg/l Cd, 2.16 mg/l Cu and 7.28 mg/l Pb for P. monodon. The metals showed toxicities in the order Cu>Cd>Pb. The LC₅₀ values recorded for M. rosenbergii were higher than the values recorded for P. monodon, hence the specific metals were more toxic to P. monodon than M. rosenbergii. The safe concentrations for all these metals were also calculated. This study has produced LC₅₀ values that may be useful in screening potentially toxic substances in our waters.

Key words: Toxicity, heavy metals, shrimp, post larvae.