Abstract
In this study, the contents of selected heavy metals (Zn, Cu, Cd, Pb, Cr, and Ni) and macroelements (C, N, K, P, S, Mg, Na, and Ca) were measured in wild mushrooms growing in a heavily polluted forest ecosystem in the northeastern part of the Upper Silesian Industrial Region. The research was conducted on 10 species of mushrooms belonging to three families: Boletaceae, Russulaceae, and Suillaceae. Using a spatial autoregressive model, the study showed a strong relationship between heavy metal concentrations (especially Zn, Pb, and Cd) and the distance from a source of industrial pollution (a zinc smelter, Huta Miasteczko Śląskie). The concentrations of potentially toxic metals (Pb and Cd) in mushrooms significantly exceeded food-acceptable standards. The bioconcentration factor (BCF), calculated as the ratio between the concentration in mushroom tissues and in forest soils overall, reached the highest values for cadmium (Cd). The highest accumulation capacity for Cd was noted for Imleria badia (BCF = 9.18), which was also the most abundant mushroom species in the study plots. In general, the established threshold values for Pb and Cd concentrations in consumer mushrooms and food products were exceeded up to almost 30-fold in the studied area. We conclude that the potential risk to human health of the toxic elements that enter the food chain through the harvesting and consumption of wild mushrooms from this region is significant.
Highlights
Wild mushrooms are a popular delicacy collected in many countries around the world, for example, in Central, East, and South Europe and in Asia [1,2,3,4]
The results of our study showed that the highest bioconcentration factor (BCF) for Cd was recorded for the following mushrooms: Imleria badia, Russula paludosa, Russula sardonia, and Suillus luteus in soil (Table 6)
This study showed that, in areas heavily contaminated with heavy metals, mushrooms of the family Suillaceae accumulate fewer heavy metals when compared to mushrooms of the families
Summary
Wild mushrooms are a popular delicacy collected in many countries around the world, for example, in Central, East, and South Europe and in Asia [1,2,3,4] They are traditionally recognized as a valuable source of nutrients and as being useful in the prevention of diseases such as hypertension and cancer [5,6,7]. The processes of absorption of heavy metals by mushrooms from the soil and the internal transport and accumulation of macro- and microelements in mushrooms are largely influenced by genetic and environmental factors. High contents of heavy metals, such as cadmium, lead, mercury, or arsenic, in mushrooms may pose a large problem and threat to human health [1,12,13]
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