Metal ion uptake by mushrooms from natural and artificially enriched soils

The metal bioaccumulation levels of three mushrooms were studied. Three different species of wild mushrooms growing in the East Black Sea region were analyzed spectrometrically for their trace element (Pb, Cd, Hg, Cu, Mn, and Zn) levels. Heavy metal (Hg, Pb, Cd and Cu) bioaccumulation levels of three mushrooms (Armillaria mellea, Polyporus squamosus, Polyporus suiphureus) samples obtained from the East Black Sea region were investigated. The Hg+2 level of Armillaria mellea samples increases sharply with increasing Hg 12 concentration in the fortified soil samples. The highest Hg 12 level was 2.65 mg/kg for A. mellea, whereas the lowest Hg+2 level was 1.45 mg/kg in P. squamosus. Cd+2 level increased with increasing Cd+2 concentration in the soil samples. The Hg content of A. mellea samples increased sharply with increasing Hg concentration in the fortified soil samples. The Cd content also increased with increasing Cd concentration in the soil samples, but the increase was less distinct than that of the Pb content. However, the Pb contents in mushrooms do not change significantly, despite increasing Pb content in the fortified soil. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.