Factors affecting the uptake of lead and copper in five wild mushroom species from Chengdu, China

Abstract

A comparison was made of the lead and copper content of five wild-growing mushroom species. A significant variation in lead levels was found between caps and stalks in Lepista sordida. A clear difference between old and young fruiting bodies was found for copper contents in Coprinus atramentarius. Both lead and copper content were found to increase initially and then decrease with increasing fungal size of Coprinus atramentarius and Flammulina velutipes with asynchronous turning points. In Cortinarius cinnamomeus, the lead and copper content was significantly correlated with the NH₄OAc/EDTA extractable fractions (Pb: r = 0.98; Cu: r = 0.96) in the topsoil rather than pH values, organic matter content, cation exchange capacity or even the total metal (except copper) levels (Cu: r = 0.99, p < 0.05). Additionally, soil-growing mushroom species seemed to accumulate copper similarly (BCF > 1.0), while variously excluding lead (BCF < 1.0), but both the metal concentrations are relatively low compared with relevant statutory levels or other reported values.

Keywords:

• AAS
• metal uptake
• metal analysis
• environmental contaminants
• heavy metals
• mushrooms

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the financial support from the National High Technology Research and Development Program of China (863 Program), Project No. 2006AA06Z361 and thank Professor Dezhong Dan and Guanglei Cheng for their technical assistance.