PARENT SESSION
3B General and multipurpose analysis
9:00 AM to 7:00 PM, Tuesday, 08 May 2001

(T/EH112) Mercury in mushrooms and soil substrate in the city of Umea, Sweden.

Falandysz, Jerzy¹, Gucia, Katarzyna¹, Frankowska, Aneta¹, Kawano, Masahide², ^{1 2}

ABSTRACT- Some mushroom species and especially those of the genus Agaricus, Calocybe, Boletus, Lepiota, Lepista, Lycoperdon, and Macrolepiota have high bioaccumulation capacity for Hg. There is agreement that process of Hg bioaccumulation from the soil or litter substrate by higher mushrooms is a complex phenomenon and can be very efficient. In this study bio-uptake potential and degree of contamination with Hg were studied separately in the caps and stalks of mushrooms in relation to the concentrations in soil substrate from the forested areas of the city of Umea and in its surroundings in Sweden in summer and autumn 1995. The mushroom species examined were False Morel Gyromitra esculena, Sheep Polypore Albatrellus ovinus, Slippery Jack Suillus luteus, European Cow Bolete Suillus bovinus, Variegated Bolete Suillus variegatus, Bay Bolete Xerocomus subtomentosus, King Bolete Boletus edulis, Bitter Bolet Tylopilus fellus, Orange Birch Bolete Leccinum versipelle, Brown Birch Scaber Stalk Leccinum scabrum, Poison Paxillus Paxillus involutus, Sweating Mushroom Clitocybe dealbata, Anise-scented Clitocybe Clitocybe odora, Sticky Gray Trich Tricholoma portentosum, Fly Agaric Amanita muscaria, Grisette Amanita vaginata, Russula Russula badia, Cortinarius Cortinarius hinnuleus, Red-dappled Cort Cortinarius bolaris, Lactarius torminosus and Common Puffbal Lycoperdon perlatum. C. bolaris, C. hinnuleus, L. perlatum, C. odora, B. edulis and T. portentosum showed relatively a highest Hg concentrations with the range of the mean values between 1200 and 4200 in the caps and between 610 and 2000 ng/g dry matter in the stalks. Concentrations of Hg in S. bovinus and G. glutinosum (stalks) increased and for L. torminosus decreased (0.01<p<0.05) with increasing level of substrate contamination. A highest (>10) bioconcentration factor (BCF) of Hg was noted for L. perlatum, T. portentosum, B. edulis, C. hinnules, and C. odora. For L. scabrum, L. versipelle, S. luteus (stalks) and L. torminosus the values of BCF of Hg decreased (0.01<p<0.05) with increasing concentration of that element in substrate soil.

Key words: mushroom, soil, mercury, bioaccumulation