EVALUATION OF TOXIC ELEMENT CONTENT AND HEALTH RISK ASSESSMENT OF EDIBLE WILD MUSHROOMS

Abstract Mushrooms are used as a source of food and as medicine, but unfortunately, they may accumulate substances that adversely affect human health. The paper presents the content of toxic elements such as Hg, Pb, Cd, and As determined in wild mushrooms (n = 48) divided into caps and stipes such as Armillaria mellea, Cantharellus cibarius, Coprinus comatus, Lycoperdon perlatum, Tricholoma portentosum, Suillus luteus, Xerocomus badius. Atomic absorption spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry techniques were used. The average Hg, Pb, Cd and As content in mushrooms were 0.350 ± 0.524, 0.762 ± 2.268, 0.478 ± 0.358 and 0.332 ± 0.471 mg kg-1 in dried caps and 0.208 ± 0.360, 0.559 ± 1.772, 0.280 ± 0.246 and 0.176 ± 0.263 mg kg-1 in dried stipe, respectively. The highest levels of toxic elements were found in L. perlatum – in the dried cap they reached the values of 1.575 ± 0.765, 6.657 ± 4.328, 0.807 ± 0.505, 1.349 ± 0.932 mg kg-1 and in the dried stipe 1.242 ± 0.410, 5.395 ± 3.860, 0.640 ± 0.326, 0.936 ± 0.340 mg kg-1 of Hg, Pb, Cd, and As, respectively. Estimation of the target hazard quotient showed that L. perlatum might pose a threat to human health associated with Hg (2.026 in cap and 1.596 in stipe) and As (1.735 in cap and 1.203 in stipe) intoxication. The hazard index value pointed out that L. perlatum and T. portentosum cap may be dangerous to health.