Mercury in Macrolepiota procera (Scop.) Singer and Its Underlying Substrate-Environmental and Health Risks Assessment

Wild-growing edible mushrooms are valuable food with a high content of proteins, fibers, antioxidants, and they are characterized by their specific taste and flavor. However, from an ecotoxicological point of view, they are a risk commodity because of their extremely high bioaccumulative capacity to accumulate the risk elements and contaminants from the environment. In the present study, we examined mercury (Hg) contamination in 230 fruiting bodies of Macrolepiota procera (Scop.) Singer and 230 soil/substrate samples, which were collected in foraging seasons 2015-2019 from 22 different locations in Slovakia. Total mercury content was determined by cold-vapor AAS analyzer AMA 254. The level of contamination and environmental risks were assessed by contamination factor (C-f), index of geoaccumulation (I-geo), and potential environmental risk index (PER). Bioaccumulation factor (BAF) was calculated for individual anatomical parts of M. procera. Mercury content in the soil/substrate samples varied between 0.02 and 0.89 mg kg(-1) DW, and in mushroom samples between 0.03 and 2.83 mg kg(-1) DW (stems), and between 0.04 and 6.29 mg kg(-1) DW (caps). The obtained results were compared with the provisional tolerable weekly intake for Hg defined by WHO to determine a health risk resulting from regular and long-term consumption of M. procera.

Automated summary

Wild edible mushrooms have high bioaccumulative capacity for risk elements, such as mercury, posing potential health risks from consumption. Variations in mercury levels in soil and mushroom samples warrant careful assessment of the health risks associated with consuming Macrolepiota procera.