The use of Li2O fortified growing compost to enhance lithiation in white Agaricus bisporus mushrooms: Li uptake and co-accumulation of other trace elements

Sviatlana Pankavec,Jerzy Falandysz,Danuta Barałkiewicz,Alwyn R Fernandes,Izabela Komorowicz,Anetta Hanć

doi:10.1007/s00217-021-03784-0

Abstract

In an attempt to enrich the fruiting bodies with Lithium (Li), this study cultivated mushrooms using growing sets that were fortified with Li2O at 1.0, 5.0, 10, 50, 100 and 500 mg·kg−1 dw. Compost fortification up to 100 mg·kg−1 dw induced a dose-dependent increase in Li accumulation with resulting median mushroom concentrations of 2.0, 8.6, 16, 29 and 38 mg·kg−1 dw, respectively, relative to the unfortified control at 0.087 mg·kg−1 dw. The dose dependency appears to level off as Li2O addition approaches 100 mg·kg−1, suggesting that there is a limit to the ability of the species to accumulate/tolerate Li. Mushrooms did not grow at the 500 mg·kg−1 dw fortification level. At the highest viable level of fortification (100 mg·kg−1 dw), the fruiting bodies were around 440-fold richer in Li content than the control mushrooms. Additionally, the fortification at all levels up to 100 mg·kg−1 dw showed very low, if any, effect on the co-accumulation of the other, studied trace mineral constituents, with concentrations occurring at the lower range of those reported for commercial A. bisporus mushrooms.

Highlights

Lithium (Li) is a minor mineral constituent in fruiting bodies of both wild and cultivated mushrooms [31, 47, 50]
In this study we examine the capacity of the white button mushroom A. bisporus to bioconcentrate Li when grown conventionally, using commercial brand compost that has been fortified with L i2O salts at different concentration levels
The fortification of growing compost with Li in the form of Li2O solutions resulted in successful lithiation of the A. bisporus mushrooms at all levels of fortification up to 100 mg·kg−1 dw, with effective production of fruiting bodies

Summary

Introduction

Lithium (Li) is a minor mineral constituent in fruiting bodies of both wild and cultivated mushrooms (contents are generally less than 1.0 mg·kg−1 dry weight; dw) [31, 47, 50]. For most of the last century, Li has been used in high doses (150–360 mg in the form of salts, e.g., L i2CO3) to treat bipolar disorder and other forms of mental illness [28, 38]. These treatments have sometimes shown side effects in patients and while in others, the exposure may result in hypersensitivity to the Li medicines [28, 38]. In recent times, it has been added to mineral water [34] Foods such as various meats, dairy products, seafood, eggs and vegetables contain Li in low concentrations, e.g., the daily dietary intake in

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Discussion

Conclusion