Concentrations of trace elements in wild edible mushrooms

The concentrations of Cu, Cd, Co, Ni, Mn, Pb, Zn and Fe in 66 samples of mu shroom fruiting bodies, representing seven species, mainly all edible, were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The mushrooms were coll ected from near roads and inner parts of forest and lawns in Bahkesir in th e north western part of Turkey. The results indicate that the Fe level in t he species Volvariella speciosa (Fr.) Sing. from near the road was the high est with a mean of 6990 mg/kg. The level of Ni was the highest in Clitocybe flaccida (Sow.: Fr.) Kummer, from near road with a mean of 3.32 mg/kg. Cu levels were almost similar for both areas within a range of 35-89 mg/kg in the different species. The Cd was accumulated mostly by Lactarius sanguiflu us (Paulet: Fr.) Pr. and V. speciosa from near road with a mean of 1.60 mg/ kg. Concentration of Mn, Pb, Co and Zn in L. sanguifluus from near road wer e the highest with means of 63.6, 7.66, 6.03 and 149 mg/kg, respectively. ( C) 2001 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.