COMPARISON OF MERCURY CONTENT IN FRUIT BODIES OF MUSHROOMS OF THE GENUS PLEUROTUS GROWING ON VARIOUS WOOD SUBSTRATES

摘要

This study investigated the content of mercury in fruit bodies of mushrooms of the genus Pleurotus, namely oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus) cultivated on wood logs (beech, oak, nut-tree, aspen, and poplar), and Indian oyster (Pleurotus pulmonarius) growing naturally on aspen. Wood-decay mushrooms are capable of accumulating in their bodies toxic elements such as mercury, which occurs at increased levels particularly in contaminated environments (e. g. close to waste dumps). Our study showed different levels of Hg in individual fruit bodies of oyster mushrooms. Those growing on beech (O.OSO^mg.kg'DW), oak (0.02934 mg.kg'DW), nut-tree (0.09899 mg.kg'DW) and aspen (0.04482mg.kg'DW) substrates contained only low levels of Hg, while this element reached considerably higher levels in mushrooms growing on poplar wood (0.84157 mg.kg1 DW). The elements in fruit bodies of mushrooms vary considerably depending on composition and contamination of the respective substrate.