Wild edible mushrooms from Mediterranean region: Metal concentrations and health risk assessment.

Worldwide, among the forest products, wild edible mushrooms constitute an important part because they represent food source as well as income source for many local communities. Thirteen essential elements (Ca, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn and Zn) and non-essential elements (Al, Cd, Ni and Pb) in wild edible mushrooms from six families (Agaricaceae, Auriculariaceae, Hygrophoraceae, Russulaceae, Suillaceae, and Tricholomataceae) originated from the Mediterranean region of Turkey were determined. Major element was K, followed by Ca, Mg, Fe and Al. Concentrations of detected elements were in the range from 0.05 mg/kg (Co) to 141,400 mg/kg (K). Health Risk Index for elements that may pose health problems indicated that safe limits were exceeded for Cd (L. nuda, L. decastes, M. exscissa, R. albonigra, R. delica and T. terreum), Ni (A. auricula-judae and S. luteus) as well as for Fe (A. auricula-judae and M. paedida). In Arpacik village and Deliosman village areas the highest number of wild edible mushrooms with HRI>1 was collected. The differences and similarities between mushroom species were established by Principal Component Analysis and Hierarchical Component Analysis.

Metal concentrations of wild edible mushrooms from Turkey.

In the present study, the contents of Zn, Fe, Cu, Mn, Co, Ni, Pb, Cd, Cr, Al, Ca, Mg, and K in Agaricus campestris, Agrocybe cylindracea, Collybia dryophila, Helvella leucopus, Russula delica, Tricholoma auratum, Amanita ovoidea, Melanoleuca excissa, Rhizopogon roseolus, Russula chloroides, Volvoriella gloiocephala, Lyophyllum decastes, Morcella angusticeps, Morchella esculenta and Morcella eximia collected from Isparta, Mugla, and Osmaniye provinces (Turkey) were determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) after microwave digestion. The intake of heavy metals (Pb, Cd) and other metals (Fe, Cu, Zn) by consumption of 30 g dry weight of mushrooms daily poses no risk at all except in A. cylindracea and H. leucopus (for Cd) for the consumer.