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DETERMINATION OF CADMIUM, LEAD AND MERCURY CONTENT IN MACROLEPIOTA PROCERA IN SELECTED AREAS OF SLOVAKIA

Ivona Jančo

Abstract

Wild edible mushrooms are a valuable food with a high content of proteins, fibers, antioxidants, and they are characterized with its specific consistency, taste and flavor. Though, from an ecotoxicological point of view, they are a risk commodity because of their extremely high bioaccumulative capacity to increase the level of risk elements and contaminants from the environment. Environmental contamination of risk elements is currently one of the most serious problems in the world. Risk elements, because of its high toxicity and non-biodegradability, have seriously threatened not only the stability of ecological system, but also the human health. In the present study we examined selected risk elements (Cd, Pb and Hg) contamination in 50 samples of Macrolepiota procera (Scop.) Singer, which were obtained in 2018 from five different areas in Slovakia. Cadmium and lead were analyzed by Optical emission spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma (OES-ICP), and mercury by Advanced Mercury Analyzer (AMA-254). The mushroom samples were divided into two parts, cap and stem, that were analyzed separately. In the mushroom caps was the mean content of Cd 1.97 mg/kg dry weight (DW), of Hg 0.16 mg/kg DW and in the case of Pb it was 1.08 mg/kg DW. The mean content of Cd, in the mushroom stems, was 0.82 mg/kg DW, Hg 0.11 mg/kg DW and Pb was 0.58 mg.kg DW. Comparing the results with the limits of the European Union (EU) (Cd: 0.50 mg/kg DW and Pb: 1.00 mg/kg DW) for edible mushrooms, 76% (Cd) and 34% (Pb) of the mushroom caps samples exceeded the limits. In the case of the mushroom stems, 54% (Cd) and 20% (Pb) of the samples exceeded the limits of the U. Based on this, it can be stated that the monitored areas represent an increased risk of the passage of this elements into the above ground parts of mushrooms.

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DOI resolver: doi.org/10.5593/sgem2019/3.2/s14.088

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