Public health threats of heavy metals due to the consumption of Achachatina marginata (African Giant Land Snail) from a partially remediated site in Ikot Ada Udo, Akwa Ibom State, South-South Nigeria.

The risk of oral intake of metals from the ingestion of contaminated Achachatina marginata was carried-out. Snail samples (n = 48) were hand-picked, preserved in ice, then analyzed for zinc (Zn), nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr) using inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES, Yobin Yvon JY-24), then cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb) using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GF-AAS, 4110 ZL PerkinElmer). The mean levels of metals in snail from each sampling point were higher compared to the control site.