Determination of Heavy Metals in Wild Mushrooms from Western Bosnia

The consumption of mushrooms have a long tradition in some countries for their therapeutic properties, for example to prevent hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and cancer. In general, mushrooms are low in energy and fat but high in protein, carbohydrate and dietary fibres, vitamins and minerals. Ten heavy metals: As, Cd, Pb, Zn, Co, Cu, Ni, Fe, Cr and Se in different wild edible mushroom species (Macrolepiota procera, Agaricus campester, Amanita caesarea, Boletus edulis, Lycoperdon pyriforme, Agaricus urinascens) collected from western Bosnia were examined by flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (F-AAS) after lyophilisation and microwave digestion. All element concentrations were determined on a dry weight basis. The ranges of element concentrations for As, Cd, Pb and Zn were 0.81–18.96, 28.88–73.64, 48.39–170.39 and 21.96–66.81 ppb, respectively. The ranges of element concentrations for Co, Cu, Ni, Fe, Cr and Se were 0.49–5.40, 7.37–35.53, 0.50–1.83, 62.87–239.34, 0.48–1.32, 0.01–0.03 ppm, respectively. In general, content of Fe and Cu was higher than other measured metals in all mushroom species. This study is first report on the heavy metal levels in wild mushrooms from western Bosnia.