Nutritional composition and health risk of toxic metals of some edible wild mushrooms growing in a mining area of Apuseni Mountains, Western Carpathians

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the chemical composition of three species of wild edible mushrooms growing in the Apuseni Mountains near a copper mine. The mushrooms’ proximate composition, fatty acid profile, and element contents were assessed. The content of total fatty acids increased in the following order: Cantharellus cibarius < Boletus edulis < Amanita rubescens.The average content of elements in mushrooms decreased in the following order: K (16780), P (5630), S (1940), Na (1790), Ca (624), Mg (425), Zn (89), Fe (81), Cu (32), B (14), Mn (5.1), Sr (2.4), Cr (2.3), Hg (1.1), Ni (0.85), Pb (0.23), Li (0.20), Cd (0.18) (mg kg−1dw). The analyzed toxic elements in the soil were below the maximum allowable limits, although the amount of Cu was higher than the normal value. Bioconcentration factors > 1 were obtained for P, S, K, Na, B and Hg. Adults can be susceptible to non-carcinogenic risks related to Hg through ingestion of Boletus edulis and Amanita rubescens, while children are vulnerable to the consumption of all studied mushroom species due to the high content of Cu and Hg. The estimation of the carcinogenic risk assessment indicated that the ingestion of all studied mushroom species could pose cancer risks for children.