_____________________________________________________________________________________________________ *Corresponding author: E-mail: ideedevictor@gamil.com; International Journal of Biochemistry Research & Review 30(7): 1-5, 2021; Article no.IJBCRR.74241 ISSN: 2231-086X, NLM ID: 101654445 Assessment of Methaemoglobin in Haemoglobin Variants in Selected Ethnic Groups in Bayelsa State Victor Tuanwii Ideede 1* , Awortu Zaccheaus Jeremiah 2 , Evelyn Mgbeoma Eze 2 , Jonathan Nyebuchi 2 , Eni-yimini Solomon Agoro 3 and Christian Atiegha 1 1 Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Bayelsa State College of Health Technology, Otuogidi-Ogbia, Bayelsa, Nigeria. 2 Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, Nigeria. 3 Directorate of Research and Quality Assurance, Federal University Otuoke, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Authors’ contributions This work was carried out in collaboration among all authors. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. Article Information DOI: 10.9734/IJBCRR/2021/v30i730276 Editor(s): (1) Prof. Kuo-Wei Lin, Providence University, Taiwan. Reviewers: (1) Duru Majesty, Rhema University, Nigeria. (2) Heba Allah Elsayed Mohammad Abd Elrhman, Zagazig University, Egypt. Complete Peer review History: http://www.sdiarticle4.com/review-history/74241 Received 28 July 2021 Accepted 02 October 2021 Published 01 November 2021 ABSTRACT Methaemoglobin (Met-Hb) is a type of the oxygen-carrying metalloproteinhemoglobin. The heme group iron exists as ferric (Fe 3+ ) iron, rather than the ferrous (Fe 2+ ) iron of typical hemoglobin. Met- Hb is unable to perform the function of binding to oxygen like oxyhaemoglobin does. The aim of this study was to compare methaemoglobin levels between AA and AS haemoglobin variants among the Ijaw, Igbo and Yoruba ethnic groups residing in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. A total of 150 subjects were enrolled for the study. One hundred and sixteen subjects constituted the Ijaws; 21 Igbos and 13 Yorubas. For each subject, 4mls of blood sample collected in EDTA bottle was assayed for methaemoglobin using a spectrophotometric method. Results revealed there was no significant difference in the methaemoglobin mean levels between the AA and AS haemoglobin variants (P- value>0.05) of the ethnic groups except the Igbo ethnic group (P-value <0.05). However, comparing the methaemoglobin mean levels among the ethnic groups showed a significant mean difference of methaemoglobin (P-value <0.05). All Post-hoc groups showed significant difference except the Igbo and Yorubo ethnic groups (P-value >0.05). In conclusion, this study has revealed that methaemoglobin levels changes significantly based on studied tribes but does not change based on studied haemoglobin variants. Original Research Article