Concentrations Of Mercury, Copper, Cadmium And Lead In Fruiting Bodies Of Edible Mushrooms In The Vicinity Of A Mercury Smelter And A Copper Smelter

Four elements were determined in wild growing mushrooms collected in the vicinity of 2 metal smelters up to a distance of 6km between 1990-1993. The smelters in E Slovakia are 15km apart. Elements were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry in 113 samples of 34 species. Values observed in mushrooms from different parts of Bohemia were used as background levels. Concentrations of mercury were very high in mushrooms grown in the mercury smelter area, especially those in Lepiota procera with a mean/maximal values of 119 & 200mg kg-1 dry matter, respectively. Considerably elevated mercury concentrations were also found in the copper smelter area, especially in Lepista nuda with mean value of 84.7 mg kg-1 dry matter. In both species there were increased copper concentrations. The mushrooms from both areas should not be consumed.