Content and bioconcentration factors of mercury by Parasol Mushroom Macrolepiota procera

The carpophores of Parasol Mushroom and underlying soil substrate collected from several unpolluted and spatially distant sites across Poland were examined to know content and bioconcentration potential of mercury by this species. The total mercury content of the caps of Parasol Mushroom for the particular sites ranged from 1.1 +/- 1.0 to 8.4 +/- 7.4 microg/g dry matter (total range from 0.05 to 22 microg/g dm), while in the stalks were from 0.53 +/- 0.27 to 6.8 +/- 7.1 microg/g dm (total range from 0.078 to 20 microg/g dm). A top soil layer (0-10 cm) showed baseline mercury concentration from 0.022 +/- 0.011 to 0.36 +/- 0.16 microg/g dm (total range from 0.010 to 0.54 microg/g dm). Parasol Mushroom is an effective mercury accumulator in the carpophores and bioconcentration factor (BCF) values of this element in the caps and depending on the sampling site ranged from 16 +/- 6 to 220 +/- 110 (total range from 0.52 to 470), while for the stalks were from 7.6 +/- 2.6 to 130 +/- 96 (total range from 0.52 to 340). It seems reasonable to state that tolerance (maximum allowable concentration) of the total mercury in a single cap of Parasol Mushroom at unpolluted areas should not exceed 25 microg/g dm. A value greater then 25 mu g/g dm will imply an elevated content due to site pollution problems. Nevertheless, knowledge on highly toxic methylmercury content and its fraction in the total mercury content of Parasol Mushroom is lacking.