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Histopathological and health risk assessment of heavy metals in the straw-colored fruit bat, Eidolon helvum, in Nigeria

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Abstract

There is heightening concern regarding heavy metals environmental pollution requiring renewed global attention because of their bioaccumulation and toxicity at varying levels. The concern is most important in the highly migratory Eidolon helvum (E. helvum) that is very common and traverses wide geographical areas within the sub-Saharan Africa. The present study aimed to evaluate levels of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) bioaccumulation in 24 E. helvum of both sexes from Nigeria to assess their indirect health risks to the human consumers of the bats in addition to their direct bioaccumulation and toxic damages in the bats themselves based on standard procedures. Lead, Zn, and Cd bioaccumulation concentrations were 2.83 ± 0.35, 0.42 ± 0.03, and 0.05 ± 0.01 mg/kg, respectively, with significant (p < 0.05) Pb bioaccumulation compared to either Cd or Zn in the affected bats. However, only Pb (markedly) and Cd (marginally) bioaccumulated above small mammals’ critical threshold levels as there are no existing established threshold levels for bats. Sex played no major role in their bioaccumulation levels. The bioaccumulation levels posed no life-long non-carcinogenic nor carcinogenic risks to the human consumers of the bats at detected concentrations. The observed lungs, liver, and kidney histopathological changes suggested the possible direct effects of the metals in the bats. Nevertheless, other anthropogenic factors might be responsible as no significant (p > 0.05) correlation existed between cellular changes and the bioaccumulation levels. The presence of the heavy metals and their bioaccumulations above critical threshold levels suggested some levels of environmental contamination and pollution, which might have direct and indirect health implications to the bats and their human consumers.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Veterinary Pathology, University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria

    Samson Eneojo Abalaka, Idoko Sunday Idoko, Nuhu Abdulazeez Sani & Oremeyi Zaynab Tenuche

  2. Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, Townsville, QLD, Australia

    Andrew Musa Adamu

  3. College of Public Health, Medical, and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Bebegu Yumba Campus, 4814, QLD, Townsville, Australia

    Andrew Musa Adamu

  4. Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria

    Andrew Musa Adamu & Wesley Daniel Nafarnda

  5. Department of Microbiology, University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria

    Salamatu Machunga-Mabunla

  6. Department of Animal Health and Production, University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria

    Zakariya Audu

  7. Department of Veterinary Physiology and Biochemistry, University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria

    Sunday Augustine Ejeh

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  1. Samson Eneojo Abalaka
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Correspondence to Samson Eneojo Abalaka.

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The University of Abuja Ethics Committee on Animal Use (UAECAU), University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria, approved the work with approval no: UAECAU/2021/001 and care was taken to minimize stress and the number of animals used.

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Abalaka, S.E., Idoko, I.S., Adamu, A.M. et al. Histopathological and health risk assessment of heavy metals in the straw-colored fruit bat, Eidolon helvum, in Nigeria. Environ Monit Assess 195, 411 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-023-10990-8

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