ASSESSMENT OF RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH HEAVY METALS IN SOME ABANDONED MINE PONDS IN JOS AND ENVIRONS AND THEIR SUITABILITY FOR FISH FARMING IN PLATEAU STATE, NIGERIA

Mining activities have been linked to the release of heavy metals into aquatic environments, which can cause ecosystem poisoning, fish kills, disease outbreaks, and contamination of the food chain. Such contamination may also result in human diseases like cancer, organ damage, and enzyme suppression. The objectives were to determine the concentration of heavy metals in water and sediments of the ponds. Standard Methods of Association of Analytical Chemist and American Public Health Association were used, alongside an Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) for heavy metal determination. Chelation and extraction of heavy metals were performed using Ammonium Pyrrolidine Dithiocarbamate (APDC) and Methyl Isobutyl Ketone (MIBK). Notably, all ten selected metals (Pb, Cd, Cr, Mn, Zn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu and As) were determined in varying concentrations across the ponds. Notably, Pb concentrations in Gurum (0.955 mg/dm³), Haske (0.571 mg/dm³) and Zawan pond, Pb (0.296 mg/dm³) were above the permissible limits. Cd, Cr, and As levels generally fell within permissible limits. The ponds contained hazardous metal levels hence, there should be control of sources of contamination and refuse dumping at pond sites. Implement erosion control to reduce metal-laden runoff into ponds.