Overview
Clams sold in six open markets in the Niger Delta were oven-dried and analyzed for chromium, cadmium and lead by flame AAS. Port Harcourt clams had higher cadmium than Yenagoa clams, above the 0.5 mg/kg WHO value the authors cite.
Key numbers
- Cadmium: Mile 1 0.78 ± 0.001, Mile 3 0.61, Rumuokoro 0.54 mg/kg; Yenagoa markets 0.032 to 0.044 mg/kg (Table 1, p. 112).
- Lead: Mile 1 0.77 ± 0.003 mg/kg; other markets 0.036 to 0.081 mg/kg (Table 1).
- Chromium 0.036 to 0.080 mg/kg (Table 1).
Methods (brief)
Clams oven-dried above 50 °C, digested with an unspecified concentrated acid on a hot plate and analyzed by flame AAS in triplicate. Results presumably on a dry basis (not labeled). No detection limits, blanks or reference material reported; sample counts not stated.
Evidence Fitness
Direct market clam data but weak methods reporting and very small SDs that reflect replicate readings, not sample spread. The text says Rumuokoro had the highest lead, conflicting with the Table 1 value for Mile 1 (flagged). Raw clams are a proxy for clam-chowder; that thin page is not linked.
Related evidence
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