Saba et al. 2016 - Mercury in Suillus luteus from Poland, Belarus, and Sweden

This study measured total mercury in Suillus luteus caps, stems, and underlying soil substratum from several European regions. Caps had higher mercury than stems, and soil mercury was generally low. The source is direct wild-mushroom mercury occurrence evidence on a dry-weight basis.

Key numbers

All values are dry-weight total Hg unless stated otherwise.

• Suillus luteus caps: 0.13 +/- 0.05 to 0.33 +/- 0.13 mg/kg dry matter.
• Suillus luteus stems: 0.038 +/- 0.014 to 0.095 +/- 0.038 mg/kg dry matter.
• Underlying soil substratum, 0-10 cm layer: 0.0030 to 0.15 mg/kg dry matter; mean values by site varied from 0.0078 +/- 0.0035 to 0.053 +/- 0.025 mg/kg dry matter.
• Cap-to-stem Hg ratio: 1.8 +/- 0.4 to 5.3 +/- 2.6.
• Bioconcentration factor values: 3.6 +/- 1.3 to 42 +/- 18.

The authors state that consuming up to 300 g/week fresh S. luteus from the studied background areas would not exceed the PTWI comparator they cite, assuming no Hg intake from other foods.

Methods (brief)

The paper measured Hg by cold-vapor atomic absorption spectroscopy in caps, stems, and soil substratum. Concentrations are reported on a dry-matter basis. The source reports total Hg only and does not speciate methylmercury.

Implications

Certification: This source contributes wild mushroom total-Hg context for European foraged mushrooms. It is not methylmercury evidence and should not be routed as MeHg.

Courses: Useful example of cap/stem partitioning and bioconcentration from low-Hg soils.

App: Supports a wild Suillus/luteus context note where foraged mushrooms can concentrate Hg relative to soil.

Wiki pages this source may touch

• wild-mushrooms
• mushrooms
• mushrooms
• mercury-total

Verification notes

• The DOI and publication metadata are printed in the PDF.
• The source reports total Hg only; this page does not infer methylmercury.

Page history

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