Andrzej Brzostowski

Mercury in wild mushrooms and underlying soil substrate from Koszalin, North-central Poland

Concentrations of total mercury were determined by cold-vapour atomic absorption spectroscopy (CV-AAS) in 221 caps and 221 stalks of 15 species of wild growing higher fungi/mushrooms and 221 samples of corresponding soil substrate collected in 1997-98 in Manowo County, near the city of Koszalin in North-central Poland. Mean mercury concentrations in caps and stalks of the mushroom species examined and soils varied between 30+/-31 and 920+/-280, 17+/-11 and 560+/-220, and 10+/-9 and 170+/-110 ng/g dry matter, respectively. Cap to stalk mercury concentration quotients were from 1.0+/-0.4 in poison pax (Paxillus involutus) to 2.8+/-0.7 in slippery jack (Suillus luteus). Brown cort (Cortinarius malicorius), fly agaric (Amanita muscaria), orange-brown ringless amanita (A. fulva), red-aspen bolete (Leccinum rufum) and mutagen milk cap (Lactarius necator) contained the highest concentrations of mercury both in caps and stalks, and mean concentrations varied between 600+/-750 and 920+/-280 and 370+/-470 and 560+/-220 ng/g dry matter, respectively. An estimate of daily intake of mercury from mushroom consumption indicated that the flesh of edible species of mushrooms may not pose hazards to human health even at a maximum consumption rate of 28 g/day. However, it should be noted that mercury intake from other foods will augment the daily intake rates. Species such as the sickener (Russula emetica), Geranium-scented russula (R. fellea) and poison pax (P. involutus) did not concentrate mercury as evidenced from the bioconcentration factors (BCFs: concentrations in mushroom/concentration in soil substrate), which were less than 1. Similarly, red-hot milk cap (L. rufus), rickstone funnel cap (Clitocybe geotropa) and European cow bolete (S. bovinus) were observed to be weak accumulators of mercury. Fly agaric (A. muscaria) accumulated great concentrations of mercury with BCFs reaching 73+/-42 and 38+/-22 in caps and stalks, respectively. Mercury BCFs of between 4.0+/-2.3 and 23+/-25 (caps) and 2.6+/-1.9 and 14+/-12 (stalks) were noted for the other mushroom species. Relatively great concentrations of mercury in fly agaric (A. muscaria) were due to preferential uptake of this element by this species.

Total mercury in wild-grown higher mushrooms and underlying soil from Wdzydze Landscape Park, Northern Poland

Concentrations of mercury were determined in wild growing mushrooms (nine edible and 6 inedible species) and underlying soil (0–10 cm layer) substrate collected from Wdzydze Landscape Park in Northern Poland in 1995–1996. The analysis was performed using cold-vapour atomic absorption spectroscopy (CV–AAS) in 211 caps, 211 stalks and 211 soil samples. King Bolete (Boletus edulis), Cloudy Clitocybe (Lepista nebularis) and Orange Slime Court (Cortinarius mucosus) accumulated great concentrations of mercury and bioconcentration factors (BCF) of mercury in these species were between 560±510 and 180±160 in caps and between 310±190 and 77±64 in stalks. All other species examined, also accumulated mercury, but to lesser extent, with BCF values ranging from 3.9±2.1 to 69±12 in caps, and 1.0±0.4 and 38±7 in stalks. Cap to stalk concentration quotients for mercury were between 1.2±1.1 and 4.4±2.8. Mercury concentrations in underlying soil substrate were low between 2.7±1.2 and 37±5 ng/g dry weight, for 14 species, and 78±53 (18–170) ng/g dry weight for soil from which Sulfur Tuft (Hypoloma fasciculare) was collected. Among edible species, King Bolete showed a mean mercury concentration of up to 2600±2000 ng/g, dry weight, in caps and 1600±1200 ng/g in stalks. Mean mercury concentrations in other edible species were <400±200 in caps and <170±120 ng/g dry weight in stalks. Bare-toothed Brittle Gills (Russula vesca) had the lowest concentration of 45±26 ng/g and 30±18 ng/g dry weight, in caps and stalks, respectively. A statistically significant relationship was noted between mercury content in caps of Sandy Knight Cap (Tricholoma flavovirens; P<0.01), King Bolete (P<0.05) and soil mercury content, while a negative relationship was observed for Bay Bolete (Xerocomus badius; caps and stalks) and Sulfur Tuft (H. fasciculare; 0.01

Bioconcentration potential of metallic elements by Poison Pax (Paxillus involutus) mushroom

Bioconcentration potential of Ag, Al, Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Sr, Pb, Rb and Zn by Pioson Pax (Paxillus involutus) fungus was investigated in field collections of mushrooms from 12 geographically distant sites in Poland. Caps, stipes and soil (0-15 cm layer) underneath to the fruiting bodies were examined. Inductively coupled plasma – atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) was used to determine the total metallic elements content. Both “labile” (cold 20% HNO3 extraction) and “pseudo-total” (cold and hot 65% HNO3 extraction) fractions of metallic elements of soil were determined. K, Rb and Cu were effectively bio-concentrated by Poison Pax in caps and their BCF values were 1000 ± 520, 740 ± 540 and 100 ± 79, and less were Zn, Na, Mg and Ni with BCF of 40 ± 28, 33 ± 23, 18 ± 10 and 1.9 ± 1.4, respectively. Al, Ba, Co, Cr, Fe, Mn, Sr and Pb were bio-excluded (BCF < 1 in caps and stipes). The “labile” Ag, Cd and Hg content of soil was below detection limit of the analytical method. Ba, Ca, Mn, Na and Sr were more eficiently bio-concentrated in stipes of Poison Pax, while Fe, Mg, Pb and Rb in caps, and Al, Co, Cr, Cu, K, Ni and Zn similarly in caps and stipes. Also Ag and Cd (and Hg) were more effectively bio-concentrated in caps than stipes. Al, Ba, Fe and Pb were bio-excluded by Poison Pax (BCF < 0.2) but were abundant minerals of soil and more or less abundant also in carpophores. Some intermetallic relationships (co-uptake and binding) are evident for Poison Pax. The amount of “labile” fraction of metallic elements contained in soil doesn’t seem to explain the Poissons Pax accumulation potential for these elements. Biological features of species, which are related to its ability to enable, enhance or reduce uptake of metallic elements by mycelium and further translocation and binding in carpophores but in parallel also translocation to symbiotic plant can be major forces impacting amounts accumulated in caps and stipes. Metallic elements concentrations determined in fruiting bodies seem to explain in the best way what is largely bioavailable from the substrate in situ to a given mushroom species.

Content and bioconcentration of mercury in mushrooms from northern Poland.

Mercury (Hg) was quantified using cold vapour-atomic absorption spectrometry (CV-AAS) in the fruiting bodies of nine edible and five inedible mushrooms and in underlying soil substrate samples. In total, 404 samples comprising caps and stalks and 202 samples of soil substrate (0–10 cm layer) were collected in 1996 from Trójmiejski Landscape Park, northern Poland. Mean Hg concentrations in the soil substrate for different species varied between 10 ± 3 and 780 ± 500 ng g -1 dry wt (range 2.3–1700). Among edible mushroom species, Horse Mushroom (Agaricus arvensis), Brown Birch Scaber Stalk (Leccinum scabrum), Parasol Mushroom (Macrolepiota procera), King Bolete (Boletus edulis) and Yellow-cracking Bolete (Xerocomus subtomentosus) contained elevated concentrations of Hg ranging from 1600 ± 930 to 6800 ± 4000 ng g-1 dry wt in the caps. Concentrations of Hg in the stalks were 2.6 ± 1.1 to 1.7 ±1.0 times lower than those in the caps. Some mushroom species investigated had high Hg levels when compared with specimens collected from the background reference sites elsewhere (located far away from the big cities) in northern Poland. Bioconcentration factors of Hg in the caps of Horse Mushroom, Parasol Mushroom and Brown Birch Scaber Stalk were between 150 ± 58 and 230 ± 150 ng g-1 dry wt, respectively, and for inedible Pestle-shaged Puffball (Claviata excipulformis) was 960 ± 300 ng g-1 dry wt. Linear regression coefficients between Hg in caps and in stalks and Hg soil concentrations showed a positive relationship for A. arvensis and Horse mushroom (p < 0.05) and a negative correlation for the caps of Death Caps (Amanita phalloides) and Woolly Milk Cap (Lactarius torminosus) (p < 0.05), while for other species no clear trend was found.

Variations in metal levels accumulated in Poison Pax (Paxillus involutus) mushroom collected at one site over four years

K, Ca, Mg, Na, Zn, Al, Fe, Mn, Rb, Cu, Sr, Ag, Ba, Pb, Ni, Cd, Co, Cr and Hg content have been examined in caps and stipes of mature fruiting bodies of Poison Pax (Paxillus involutus) collected from the same site over 4 years in 1999–2002. Cluster analysis (CA) did indicate on a different composition of these mineral constituents in fruiting bodies that emerged in 1999 and 2000, when compared to 2001 and 2002. In light of principal component analysis (PCA), the metals differentiating these two biannual sets of fruiting bodies were Mn (greatest load to PC1) together with Ca, Fe, Al, Cu, Cd and Hg; Ni (greatest load to PC2) together with Zn, Sr, Ba, Pb and Co, and Ag (greatest load to PC3) together with Na. The elements such as Mg, Sr and Cr showed similar contents both in caps and stipes over four years (p > 0.05; U Mann-Whitney test). Depending on a year or years of collection, contents fluctuated (p < 0.05) for K, Ca, Zn, Al, Fe, Mn, Na, Rb, Cu, Ag, Ba, Pb, Ni, Cd, Co and Hg. The values of quotients for K, Ca, Mg, Na, Al, Ba, Rb, Cu, Sr, Mn, Co, Cr and Ni content between caps and stipes (QC/S) remained constant (p > 0.05) over four years, and for Fe, Ag, Cd, Cr, Hg and Pb fluctuated (p < 0.05). The results of this study imply that a potential of mycelium to up-take metallic elements from substratum and their further transportation within fruiting body and sequestration in Poison Pax, even at a stabile geochemical condition (the same stand and probably the same mycelia), can fluctuate over the years or the life-span of mycelium.

Concentrations of Mercury in Wild Growing Higher Fungi and underlying Substrate near Lake Wdzydze, Poland

Fourteen species of wild growing mushrooms and surface (0–10 cm) soils were collected near Lake Wdzydze in the northern part of Poland in 1996–1997 to understand the status of mercury pollution. Concentrations of mercury in mushrooms varied between 100±30 and 2400±1900 ng g-1 dry matter in caps and 60±1 and 1300±1500 ng g-1 dry matter in stalks. Concentrations of mercury in underlying soil were between 30±1 and 140±120 ng g-1 dry matter (between 36±18 and 63±100 ng g-1 depending on the soil type). Bioconcentration factors (BCF: concentrations in mushroom/concentrationin soil) of total mercury were between 2.3±1.1 and 90±110 for caps, and between 2.1±1.0 and 53±56 for stalks. Scaly tooth (Sarcodon imbricatum) contained the greatest concentrations of mercury in the flesh. However, there was no significant relationship (p >: 0.05) between mercury content in the fruiting bodies of this speciesto soil mercury concentrations. A significant (p < 0.01) positive relationship between mercury content in caps to underlying soil was noted for European cow bolete (Suillus bovinus), while a negative relationship between mercury content in caps and stalks to underlying soil was observed for Sandy knight-cap (Tricholomaflavovirens), Shaggy scale-head (Pholiota squaroso-adiposa),Gypsy mushroom (Rozites caperata) and Pine spike cap (Chroogomphus rutilus).

Mercury in wild mushrooms and underlying soil substrate from the great lakes land in Poland.

Fifteen species of wild mushrooms and underlying soil samples collected in a virgin landscape of Augustowska Forest in northeastern Poland in 1997-98 were analyzed for total mercury to evaluate the status of contamination and usefulness of higher mushrooms as possible bioindicators of mercury pollution. Among the 15 species analyzed, Pinewood King Bolete, Scaly Tooth and King Bolete showed relatively high bioconcentration factors (BCF: dry-weight normalized concentrations of mercury in mushrooms relative to concentrations in soil) for mercury, which varied between 69 and 110. These three species were also characterized by great concentrations of total mercury in caps (between 2,000 +/- 800 and 2,300 +/- 1,100 ng g-1 dry wt) and stalks (between 850 +/- 390 and 1,000 +/- 500 ng g-1 dry wt.). Species such as Red-hot Milk Cap, Poison Pax and Common Chantherelle had mercury BCFs of less than 1, while Gipsy Bolete, Orange Birch Bolete, Brown Scaber Stalk, Variegated Bolete, Sandy Knight-cap and Yellow-cracking Bolete were weak or moderate mercury accumulators with BCFs between 1 and 40. Concentrations of mercury in mushrooms were greater than the tolerance limits suggested for mercury in plant foods.

Mercury and its bioconcentration factors in Poison Pax (Paxillus involutus) from various sites in Poland

Data are presented on total mercury content of Poison Pax from 14 sites across Poland. Mercury was measured by cold-vapor atomic absorption spectroscopy (CV-AAS) after nitric (mushrooms) and nitric/sulphuric (soil substrate) acid digestion of the samples. Both the caps, stalks and whole fruiting bodies of Poison Pax exhibited mercury at relatively small concentration and for all sites the median values ranged from 0.01 to 0.10 μ g/g dm (the caps) and from 0.01 to 0.10 μ g/g dm (the stalks). The arithmetic means of mercury for most of the sites surveyed ranged from 0.01 ± 0.01 to 0.11 ± 0.06 μ g/g dm (the caps) and from 0.01 ± 0.01 to 0.11 ± 0.04 μg/g dm (the stalks). The cap to stalk mercury concentration quotient for 181 fruiting bodies of Poison Pax in this study was 1.4 ± 0.5 with range from 0.4 to 5.4, and for the particular sites were from 0.6 ± 0.2 to 2.5 ± 1.2. The total mercury content of top soil (0–15 cm) layer for most of the sites was within a range from 0.02 ± 0.01 to 0.05 ± 0.04 μ g/g dm, while from 0.06 ± 0.02 to 0.07 ± 0.04 μ g/g dm were for two sites in the Tucholskie Forest, and 0.10 ± 0.04 and 0.09 ± 0.04 μ g/g dm were for an area near the industrial town of Starachowice and for the Kłodzka Hollow in the Sudety Mountains, respectively. Both the caps, stalks or whole fruiting bodies of Poison Pax were characterized by a relatively small bioconcentration factor (BCF) value of mercury with a median value between 0.2 and 3.3, 0.2 and 2.2 and 0.3.

Mercury in mushrooms and soil from the Wieluńska Upland in south-central Poland.

ABSTRACT Concentrations of mercury were determined in the fruiting bodies of 15 species of higher mushrooms and underlying soil substrate collected from Wieluńska Upland in northern part of Sandomierska Valley in south-central Poland in 1995. A total of 197 samples of caps, 197 stalks, 30 whole fruiting bodies and 227 soil (0–10 cm layer) were analyzed. Mean mercury concentrations in soil substrate corresponding to 15 mushroom species were between 28 ± 17 and 85 ± 62 ng/g dry matter (total range between 3.0–190 ng/g). The average cap to stalk concentration quotients of Hg were around 2 (range between 1.1 ± 1.1 and 2.8 ± 1.4). However, this quotient in Larch bolete (Suillus grevillei) was 4.4 ± 6.3. Concentrations of Hg varied depending on the mushroom species. Parasol Mushroom (Macrolepiota procera) and Horse mushroom (Agaricus arvensis) contained the greatest mean mercury concentrations both in caps (between 4500 ± 1700 and 4400 ± 2400 ng/g dry matter) and stalks (between 2800 ± 1300 and 3000 ± 2000 ng/g dry matter). Both the Parasol Mushroom and Horse mushroom were characterised also by a greater potential to bioconcentrate mercury from soils as evidenced by great bioconcentration factors (BCFs), which were between 170 ± 160 and 130 ± 120 for caps, and 110 ± 97 and 89 ± 92 for stalks. Mercury concentrations in caps and stalks of False death cap (Amanita citrina) increased (p<0.05) with increasing soil mercury contents. An opposite trend was observed for Quéleta brittle gills (Russula queleti), Grat knight-cap (Tricholoma terreum), Fly agaric (Amanita muscaria), Common scaber stalk (Leccinum scabrum) and Slippery jack (Suillus luteus).

Concentrations of heavy metals in the tissues of red deer (Cervus elaphus) from the region of Warmia and Mazury, Poland

Cadmium, lead, copper and zinc were quantified using a validated ICP/MS method in the tissues and organs of 82 specimens of red deer of different sexes and ages, which had been hunted at the Great Lakes Land region in the north-eastern of Poland in 2000–01. Copper and zinc occurred in liver, kidney and muscle tissue of red deer at concentrations of 6.4–29, 3.3–7.2 and 1.9–6.4, and of 19–43, 17–41 and 19–64 mg kg−1, respectively, which are considered typical for the species, age and gender compared with values noted for some other wild and domestic ruminant species elsewhere. For cadmium and lead, the concentrations decreased in the order kidney > liver > muscle tissue, with overall means of 2.2, 0.19, and 0.10, 0.31, and 0.26, 0.22 mg kg−1 wet weight, respectively. The cadmium content of the kidney of a proportion of red deer sampled exceeded the legal tolerance limits set in Poland. The means (but not individual animal data) obtained for cadmium in kidney and liver correlated (0.99) with the age of red deer. Also, the lead content of the muscle meat of red deer for many carcasses exceeded the legal limit, which was probably due to contamination from the fine dust particle remains from the lead bullets used.