Nutritional Value, and Heavy Metal Contents of Fish from the Lower River Niger at Agenebode, Edo State, Nigeria

Fish constitutes a vital component of human diets due to their rich nutritional compositions. They serve as remarkable source proteins, vitamins, and fatty acids, which are indispensable for the effective growth development humans. The need explore compositions various species fish in different water bodies becomes paramount. Presently, consumer concern is not just on food's value but also safety level. Environmental contamination by heavy metals has become an issue pressing recent times. Heavy metals, ubiquitous nature, found they released from anthropogenic activities. This work investigated proximate compositions, mineral contents, concentrations four (P. annectens, L. niloticus, G. H. niloticus) collected lower Niger at Agenebode using standard procedures. highest protein contents were Gymnarchus niloticus (37.32%), while least was Heterotis (20.41%). Protopterus annectens had carbohydrate content (34.55%), (12.24%). lipid (14.41%) niloticus. concentration potassium 21.00 ppm. ppm ranged 0.01 – 1.4 (Cd), 0.07 2.89 (Pb), 0.02 16.4 (Hg), 0.88 5.1 (Cu) 1.2 8.23 (Zn). Hg, Cd Pb some samples higher than permissible limits based international standards. There further study focusing animals plants area alarming these metals; remedial measures could be ensured safety.