Concentrations of mercury in wild growing higher fungi and underlying substrate near Lake Wdzydze, Poland

Fourteen species of wild growing mushrooms and surface (0-10 cm) soils were collected near Lake Wdzydze in the northern part of Poland in 1996-1997 to understand the status of mercury pollution. Concentrations of mercury in mushrooms varied between 100 +/- 30 and 2400 +/- 1900 ng g(-1) dry matter in caps and 60 +/- 1 and 1300 +/- 1500 ng g(-1) dry matter in stalks. Concentrations of mercury in underlying soil were between 30 +/- 1 and 140 +/- 120 ng g(-1) dry matter (between 36 +/- 18 and 63 +/- 100 ng g(-1) depending on the soil type). Bioconcentration factors (BCF: concentrations in mushroom/concentration in soil) of total mercury were between 2.3 +/- 1.1 and 90 +/- 110 for caps, and between 2.1 +/- 1.0 and 53 +/- 56 for stalks. Scaly tooth (Sarcodon imbricatum) contained the greatest concentrations of mercury in the flesh. However, there was no significant relationship (p > 0.05) between mercury content in the fruiting bodies of this species to soil mercury concentrations. A significant (p < 0.01) positive relationship between mercury content in caps to underlying soil was noted for European cow bolete (Suillus bovinus), while a negative relationship between mercury content in caps and stalks to underlying soil was observed for Sandy knight-cap (Tricholoma flavovirens), Shaggy scale-head (Pholiota squaroso-adiposa), Gypsy mushroom (Rozites caperata) and Pine spike cap (Chroogomphus rutilus).