The aim of this study was to examine the contamination, accumulation, and distribution of mercury in fruiting bodies by Leccinum versipelle fungus collected from distant sites across Poland. Mercury was determined using validated method by cold-vapor atomic absorption spectroscopy after direct sample matrix combustion. A large set of data gained using 371 fruiting bodies and 204 soil samples revealed the susceptibility of L. versipelle to Hg contamination and permitted the estimation of probable intake of Hg contaminant by consumers foraging for this species. The range of median values of Hg determined in caps of L. versipelle was from 0.20 to 2.0 mg kg⁻¹ dry biomass, and the median for 19 localities was 0.65 mg kg⁻¹ dry biomass. The values of the Hg bioconcentration factor (BCF) determined for L. versipelle correlated negatively with Hg contents. Mercury in topsoil beneath L. versipelle ranged from 0.019 to 0.041 mg kg⁻¹ dry matter for less-contaminated locations (BCF of 17 to 65 for caps) and from 0.076 to 0.39 mg kg⁻¹ dry matter for more contaminated locations (BCF of 1.9 to 22). Fruiting bodies of L. versipelle collected in some regions of Poland if consumed in amount of 300 g in one meal in a week could provide Hg doses above the provisionally tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) value of 0.004 mg Hg kg⁻¹ body mass, while regular consumptions for most of the locations were below the limit even with more frequent consumption. Also summarized are available data on Hg for three species of fungi of genus Leccinum foraged in Europe.

A study on ¹³⁷Cs pollution and activity concentrations of ⁴⁰K in mushrooms of the genera Cortinarius, Leccinum, Russula, Tricholoma, Tylopilus, and Xerocomus from two neighboring regions in southwest China in 2010–2013 revealed different patterns of pollution with ¹³⁷Cs, which seemed to be highly dependent on climate conditions. Tricholoma matsutake was collected in Yunnan before and after the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear accident and showed similar contamination with ¹³⁷Cs. Mushrooms from the elevation of 2800–3480 m above sea level on the east slope of Minya Konka and forest topsoil showed higher contamination with ¹³⁷Cs than mushrooms from the highlands of Yunnan. In detail, the activity concentration of ¹³⁷Cs in caps of mushrooms from Minya Konka were in the range 62 ± 6–280 ± 150 Bq kg⁻¹ dry biomass and from Yunnan at < 4.4–83 ± 3 Bq kg⁻¹ dry biomass. The climate in the region of the Minya Konka is much colder than in Yunnan, which seems to favor deposition of ¹³⁷Cs at higher altitudes from global atmospheric circulation. The activity concentration of ⁴⁰K in mushrooms and soils highly exceeded that of ¹³⁷Cs. The assessed annual effective doses for ¹³⁷Cs in 1 kg of consumed mushrooms of the genera Leccinum and Xerocomus in Yunnan were low, i.e., in the range < 0.0043–0.049 ± 0.004 μSv, while those for ⁴⁰K were 0.26 ± 0.02–0.81 ± 0.09 μSv.

The paper presents the studies on ²¹⁰Po and ²¹⁰Pb activity determination in red-capped scaber (Leccinum aurantiacum (Bulliard) Gray) collected in northern Poland. The aims of the studies were to determine ²¹⁰Po and ²¹⁰Pb content in analyzed mushrooms, evaluate the bioconcentration levels, and estimate possible related annual effective radiation dose to mushrooms consumers. The activities of ²¹⁰Po and ²¹⁰Pb in red-capped scaber were un-uniform and depended on sampling sites. But ²¹⁰Po and ²¹⁰Pb activity concentrations did not reflect their concentrations in topsoil. The results showed that the consumption of analyzed mushrooms should not increase significantly the total effective radiation dose from ²¹⁰Po and ²¹⁰Pb decay.

Wild edible mushrooms are rich in nutritions and popular among people, but wild edible mushrooms easily accumulate potentially harmful trace elements, and excessive intake will harm health. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential health hazards of long-term intake of wild edible mushrooms in Yunnan Province, China. The concentrations of trace element (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, Ni, and Zn) in 19 species of wild edible mushrooms in Yunnan Province were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Further processing of the data, the potential health risk assessments of consumers were evaluated by the target hazard quotient (THQ), hazard index (HI), and incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR), respectively. Results showed that concentrations of trace element in wild edible mushrooms decreased in the order of Zn > Cu > As > Ni > Cr > Cd > Pb > Hg. Compared with the maximum standard by the WHO/China, the averages of As, Cd, Cr, Hg, and Zn were significantly greater than the standard. Among the tested wild edible mushrooms, HI values of Leccinum crocipodium, Thelephora ganbajun, Lactarius luteolus, Tricholoma matsutake, and Polyporus ellisii were more than 1. Thus, Leccinum crocipodium, Thelephora ganbajun, Lactarius luteolus, Tricholoma matsutake, and Polyporus ellisii are the main sources of risk. The value of THQ in ascending order was as follows: Pb (0.11) < Cd (0.75) < As (4.27) < Hg (6.87). Thus, Hg are the primary sources of health risk in the wild edible mushrooms in Yunnan Province. ILCR₍Aₛ₎ values of Thelephora ganbajun, Tricholoma matsutake, Laccaria amethystea, and Polyporus ellisii were more than 10⁻⁴, these four samples are the primary sources of health risk. The mean values of ILCR for As in wild mushroom were 1.01 × 10⁻⁴. The results suggest that there was potential health risk to the consumer associated with the long-term consumption of wild edible mushrooms collected from Yunnan Province. We propose that the concentrations of trace element should be periodically monitored in wild edible mushrooms.

In the present study, the composition of bio-elements (K, Na, Mg, Ca, Fe, Cu, Zn) and toxic elements (Ag, Cd) in seven edible mushrooms from the rural and woodland region of Morąg (north-eastern Poland) and the rural and industrial region of the Tarnobrzeska Upland (south-eastern Poland) were investigated using a validated method. The species examined were Boletus edulis, Cantharellus cibarius, Leccinum aurantiacum, Leccinum versipelle, Lycoperdon perlatum, Suillus luteus, and Xerocomus subtomentosus. Final determination was carried out by flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (FAAS) after microwave-assisted decomposition of sample matrices with solutions of concentrated nitric acid in the pressurized polytetrafluoroethylene vessels. The contents of the alkali elements and alkali earth elements were determined in the species surveyed. The alkali elements, earth alkali elements, and transition metals (Ag, Cu, Zn, Fe, and Mn) were at typical concentrations as was determined for the same or similar species elsewhere in Poland and Europe. The results may suggest a lack of local and regional emissions of those metallic elements from industrialization of some sites in the Tarnobrzeska Plain. Cadmium was at elevated concentrations in L. versipelle from the Tarnobrzeska Plain but the reason—pollution or geogenic source—was unknown, while it was at typical concentrations in other species.