Health risk assessment of exposure to toxic elements resulting from consumption of dried wild-grown mushrooms available for sale

Human biomonitoring of essential and toxic trace elements (heavy metals and metalloids) in urine of children, teenagers, and young adults from a Central European Cohort in the Czech Republic

BACKGROUND

Exposure to toxic trace elements, which include metals and metalloids, can induce adverse health effects, including life-threatening diseases. Conversely, essential trace elements are vital for bodily functions, yet their excessive (or inadequate) intake may pose health risks. Therefore, identifying levels and determinants of exposure to trace elements is crucial for safeguarding human health.

METHODS

The present study analyzed urinary concentrations of 14 trace elements (arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, mercury, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, lead, antimony, selenium, thallium, and zinc) and their exposure determinants in 711 individuals, spanning from children to young adults from a Central European population from the Czech Republic. Multivariate linear regression and non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA were used to investigate exposure determinants. Estimates of 95th percentile concentrations and confidence intervals were carried out to establish reference values (RV95). The study also assessed the percentage of population exceeding health-based guidance values (GVs) to gauge health risks.

RESULTS

Young adults showed elevated toxic element concentrations, whereas children exhibited higher concentrations of essential elements. Mercury concentrations were associated with both dental amalgam filling count and seafood intake; arsenic concentrations were associated with seafood, rice, and mushroom consumption. Mushroom consumption also influenced lead concentrations. Sex differences were found for cadmium, zinc, nickel, and cobalt. Between 17.9% and 25% of the participants exceeded recommended GV for arsenic, while 2.4% to 2.8% exceeded GV for cadmium. Only one participant exceeded the GV for mercury, and none exceeded GVs for chromium and thallium. Essential trace elements' GVs were surpassed by 38% to 68.5% participants for zinc, 1.3% to 1.8% for molybdenum, and 0.2% to 0.3% for selenium.

IMPACT

The present study examines trace element exposure in a Central European population from the Czech Republic, unveiling elevated exposure levels of toxic elements in young adults and essential elements in children. It elucidates key determinants of trace element exposure, including dietary and lifestyle indicators as well as dental amalgam fillings. Additionally, the study establishes novel reference values and a comparison with established health-based human biomonitoring guidance values, which are crucial for public health decision-making. This comprehensive biomonitoring study provides essential data to inform public health policies and interventions.

Health Risks for Consumers of Forest Ground Cover Produce Contaminated with Heavy Metals

BACKGROUND

The activity of heavy metal (HM) mining and processing industries causes soils contamination with HM. The metals could be transferred from contaminated soils to edible plants and fungi. This study aimed to assess the content of Cd, Pb, Hg, As, and Ni in berries and edible mushrooms collected in the forests located near Miasteczko Slaskie zinc smelter and in the Lubliniec region, in the context of consumers' health risk.

METHODS

The ET-AAS method was used to determine the content of Cd, Pb, Ni, and As. Mercury concentration was determined using the CV-AFS method.

RESULTS

The studies showed high levels of Cd and Pb in the examined products. A statistically significant impact of the distance from the smelter on the Cd concentration in the berries was observed. Total non-cancer health risk from the combined exposure of adults to all HM in mushrooms and berries was significant when consuming the most heavily contaminated produce. The risk to children was significant, even when consuming products with moderate levels of the metals. Ingestion of Cd by children with mushrooms was related to a high cancer risk. The uncertainty of the results was determined.

CONCLUSIONS

It is recommended to take action to increase awareness among residents of the areas adjacent to the forests regarding the existing health risk and to take possible measures to reduce exposure to HM.

Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals Occurrence in Two Wild Edible Oyster Mushrooms (Pleurotus spp.) Collected from Rajaji National Park

This study aimed at assessing the concentration of six heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn) in two wild edible oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus and Pleurotus djamor) collected from Rajaji National Park in Haridwar, India. For this purpose, mushroom samples were collected from selected locations (forest, residential, tourist, industrial areas, and transportation activities) from June 2021 to July 2022 and subsequently analyzed for selected heavy metals using atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). Results showed that both Pleurotus spp. had significantly varying (p < 0.05) concentrations of heavy metals. However, P. ostreatus showed relatively higher concentration levels of these metals compared to P. djamor. The mean concentrations (mg/kg dry weight) of the Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn in P. ostreatus and P. djamor were 0.10 and 0.08, 0.87 and 0.64, 16.19 and 14.77, 28.49 and 27.15, 9.93 and 8.73, and 18.15 and 15.76, respectively. As indicated by the multivariate analysis tools i.e., principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), the locations near the residential, industrial, and transportation activities had higher concentration levels of heavy metals. Moreover, the health risk studies using the target hazard quotient (THQ < 1) showed no significant health risk as the consumption of both Pleurotus spp., except for at one location, had high-traffic activities. The findings of this study provide vital information about the occurrence of potentially toxic heavy metals in wild edible Pleurotus spp. in Rajaji National Park in Haridwar, India representing a safeguard for mushroom consumers.

Research Progress on Elements of Wild Edible Mushrooms

Wild edible mushrooms are distributed all over the world and are delicious seasonal foods, rich in polysaccharides, amino acids, vitamins, and other components. At the same time, they contain many essential trace elements and are highly enriched in heavy metals (compared to green plants and cultivated edible mushrooms). Consumers may be exposed to health risks due to excessive heavy metals in the process of consumption. This is also one of the important factors affecting the import and export of edible mushrooms, which is of great concern to consumers and entry and exit inspection and quarantine departments. In this paper, the contents of four essential trace elements of iron, manganese, zinc, and copper and four harmful heavy metals of cadmium, lead, mercury, and arsenic in nearly 400 species of wild edible mushrooms from 10 countries are reviewed. It was found that the factors affecting the elemental content of edible mushrooms are mainly divided into internal and external factors. Internal is mainly the difference in species element-enrichment ability, and external is mainly environmental pollution and geochemical factors. The aim is to provide a reference for the risk assessment of edible mushrooms and their elemental distribution characteristics.

Results of the BfR MEAL Study: In Germany, mercury is mostly contained in fish and seafood while cadmium, lead, and nickel are present in a broad spectrum of foods

The BfR MEAL Study provides representative levels of substances in foods consumed in Germany. Mercury, cadmium, lead, and nickel are contaminants present in foods introduced by environmental and industrial processes. Levels of these elements were investigated in 356 foods. Foods were purchased representatively, prepared as consumed and pooled with similar foods before analysis. Highest mean levels of mercury were determined in fish and seafood, while high levels of cadmium, lead, and nickel were present in cocoa products and legumes, nuts, oilseeds, and spices. The sampling by region, season, and production type showed minor differences in element levels for specific foods, however no tendency over all foods or for some food groups was apparent. The data on mercury, cadmium, lead, and nickel provide a comprehensive basis for chronic dietary exposure assessment of the population in Germany. All levels found were below regulated maximum levels.

Mushroom Quality Related with Various Substrates' Bioaccumulation and Translocation of Heavy Metals

Mushrooms are popular due to the nutrition contents in the fruit bodies and are relatively easy to cultivate. Mushrooms from the white-rot fungi group can be cultivated on agricultural biomass such as sawdust, paddy straw, wheat straw, oil palm frond, oil palm empty fruit bunches, oil palm bark, corn silage, corn cobs, banana leaves, coconut husk, pineapple peel, pineapple leaves, cotton stalk, sugarcane bagasse and various other agricultural biomass. Mushrooms are exceptional decomposers that play important roles in the food web to balance the ecosystems. They can uptake various minerals, including essential and non-essential minerals provided by the substrates. However, the agricultural biomass used for mushroom cultivation is sometimes polluted by heavy metals because of the increased anthropogenic activities occurring in line with urbanisation. Due to their role in mycoremediation, the mushrooms also absorb pollutants from the substrates into their fruit bodies. This article reviews the sources of agricultural biomass for mushroom cultivation that could track how the environmental heavy metals are accumulated and translocated into mushroom fruit bodies. This review also discusses the possible health risks from prolonged uptakes of heavy metal-contaminated mushrooms to highlight the importance of early contaminants’ detection for food security.