Heavy metal contaminations in edible wild mushroom species from Turkey's Black Sea region

The present study examined heavy metal contamination in six edible wild mushroom species obtained from twenty-one stations in Turkey's Black Sea region. Heavy metals were analyzed ICP-MS. Concentrations of cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, iron, manganese, nickel, lead and zinc were measured in the ranges of 0.08-3.37, 0.01-2.50, 0.36-6.26, 17.5-122, 97.2-3919, 4.61-102, 12.7-24.2, 0.15-1.80 and 34.4-225 mg/kg, respectively. The highest metal was iron in all of the examined species from the stations; and differences among metal levels across all of stations were found to be statistically significant (p < 0.05). Moreover, the maximum provisional tolerable weekly intake limits for edible mushroom species was calculated and assessed for the purpose of human health.