Localization, ligand environment, bioavailability and toxicity of mercury in Boletus spp. and Scutiger pes-caprae mushrooms

Kavčič, Anja (author), Mikuš, Klemen (author), Debeljak, Marta (author), Elteren, Johannes Teun van (author), Arčon, Iztok (author), Kodre, Alojz (author), Kump, Peter (author), Karydas, Andreas-Germanos (author), Migliori, Alessandro (author), Czyzycki, Mateusz (author), Vogel-Mikuš, Katarina (author)

This study provides information on mercury (Hg) localization, speciation and ligand environment in edible mushrooms: Boletus edulis, B. aereus and Scutiger pes-caprae collected at non-polluted and Hg polluted sites, by LA-ICP-MS, SR-μ-XRF and Hg L$_3$-edge XANES and EXAFS. Mushrooms (especially young ones) collected at Hg polluted sites can contain more than 100 μg Hg g$^−$$^1$ of dry mass. Imaging of the element distribution shows that Hg accumulates mainly in the spore-forming part (hymenium) of the cap. Removal of hymenium before consumption can eliminate more than 50% of accumulated Hg. Mercury is mainly coordinated to di-thiols (43–82%), followed by di-selenols (13–35%) and tetra-thiols (12–20%). Mercury bioavailability, as determined by feeding the mushrooms to Spanish slugs (known metal bioindicators owing to accumulation of metals in their digestive gland), ranged from 4% (S. pes-caprae) to 30% (B. aereus), and decreased with increasing selenium (Se) levels in the mushrooms. Elevated Hg levels in mushrooms fed to the slugs induced toxic effects, but these effects were counteracted with increasing Se concentrations in the mushrooms, pointing to a protective role of Se against Hg toxicity through HgSe complexation. Nevertheless, consumption of the studied mushroom species from Hg polluted sites should be avoided.

• Language: English
• Keywords: edible mushrooms, HgSe complex, imaging of elemental distribution, LA-ICP-MS, μ-XRF, XAS
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty; FMF - Faculty of Mathematics and Physics
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2019
• Number of pages: 11 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 184, art. 109623
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-128263
• UDC: 577
• ISSN on article: 0147-6513
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2019.109623
• COBISS.SI-ID: 5154895
• Publication date in RUL: 07.07.2021

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Ecotoxicology and environmental safety
• Shortened title: Ecotoxicol. environ. saf.
• Publisher: Academic Press.
• ISSN: 0147-6513
• COBISS.SI-ID: 25368320

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• License: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
• Description: The most restrictive Creative Commons license. This only allows people to download and share the work for no commercial gain and for no other purposes.