Bedrock and soil geochemistry influence the content of chemical elements in wild edible mushrooms (Morchella group) from South Italy (Sicily)

Abstract

Chemical elements in the samples of wild edible mushrooms of the Morchella group collected from different unpolluted Sicilian sites was analyzed by the ICP-MS (method) to detect the content of their minerals and determine whether soil geology and geochemistry can influence the chemical composition in fungi. Results showed that the mushroom samples mainly contained a high concentration of K and P and a wide variety of minor and trace elements (V, Mo, Pb, Ce, Cs, Zr), including heavy metals. Statistical analysis showed that the mushrooms differed in their content of minor and trace elements based on the geological/geographic site of origin. Comparison with other studies showed differences in the content detected in the Sicilian morels with those collected from other geographical sites. Conversely, different fungal species collected from similar geological sites in Sicily showed different patterns of accumulation of the elements confirming that bioconcentration in fungi is species-and site-dependent.

Nutritional and Other Trace Elements and Their Associations in Raw King Bolete Mushrooms, Boletus edulis

“…It can be considered as a potential food contaminant due to its prevalence. In the case of Cs and mushrooms, the major problem seems to be due to ongoing contamination with radioactive caesium ( 137 Cs) [ 50 , 76 , 77 , 78 ], rather than with the stable isotope Cs ( 133 Cs) [ 79 , 80 ].…”

“…Previous data published on Be in B. edulis , in a report from Finland, showed it was found in the range from 0.01 to 0.02 mg kg −1 dw [ 33 ], and no other results could be identified from the available literature. The Be in Morchella mushrooms from Sicily was not found above a limit of quantification at 0.03 mg kg −1 dw [ 79 ]. No previous data on Ga, Ge, and Sn in B. edulis could be identified in the available literature.…”

Distribution and Origin of Major, Trace and Rare Earth Elements in Wild Edible Mushrooms: Urban vs. Forest Areas

“…Since the main distribution of trace elements in the studied areas did not indicate an anthropogenic influence, it can be assumed that soil geochemical properties are the most important factor determining these variations in chemical composition. The influence of different soil properties and geochemistry on the uptake of elements by mushrooms may be more evident in studies comparing soils with markedly different geological composition, as in the study by Nikkarinen and Mertanen [74] and Alaimo et al [37], than when comparing mushrooms growing in areas where differences in soil geochemistry are less pronounced. However, several elements, such as As, Ni, Zn, and macronutrients, showed similar behavior in certain mushroom species or families, indicating an important influence of species-specific affinity for certain elements.…”

“…To date, numerous studies have been carried out on the content of individual elements in fruiting bodies from different areas [20], such as France [21], the Czech Republic [22], Poland [4,[23][24][25], Slovakia [6], Spain [9,10,26], Portugal [16], Turkey [27][28][29][30], USA [31], China [32,33], Greece [18], Serbia [34,35], and Italy [36][37][38][39]. However, published results often differ significantly and usually include a narrow range of elements and/or mushroom species studied [20].…”

Can the soil geology and chemistry analysis of a site predict the geographic origin of wild edible mushrooms (Porcini group)?

“…Despite these results, the majority of studies only analyze the presence of heavy metals inside a few fungal species from both polluted and unpolluted sites [4][5][6][7][8]. To the best of our knowledge, only few studies have analyzed the influence of geology, soil-mineralogy, and soil-chemistry on the element content in sporocarps, as well as the correlation between chemical elements in mushrooms and in the underlying soil layers [9][10][11].…”