Edible mushrooms (Albatrellus ovinus, Boletus edulis, Clitocybe odora, Gomphidius glutinosus, Leccinum scabrum, Leccinum versipelle, Lycoperdon perlatum, Suillus bovinus, Suillus luteus, and Xerocomus subtomentosus) collected from unpolluted areas of the city of Umeå and its outskirts in the northern part of Sweden were examined for contents of toxic metallic elements (Cd, Pb, and Ag) and essential macro- and microelements (K, Na, Ca, Mg, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn) using a validated method and a final measurement by flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (F-AAS). The median values of the toxic metallic element concentrations (in mg kg-1 dry biomass, db) ranged from: 0.12-3.9, 0.46-5.1, and 0.91-6.2 for Ag, Cd and Pb, respectively. For the essential metallic elements, the median values of concentrations ranged from: 24000-58000, 15-2000, 59-610, 520-1900, 2.0-97, 16-150, 15-120, and 4.3-26 mg kg-1 db for K, Na, Ca, Mg, Cu, Zn, Fe, and Mn, respectively. The baseline concentrations of the metallic elements determined in mushrooms were mainly affected by the fungal species. The assessed probable maximal dietary intake of Cd (0.002 mg kg-1 body mass) solely from a mushroom meal was only slightly below a revised value of the tolerable weekly intake for this element, while for Pb (0.003 mg kg-1 body mass) it was tenfold below the provisionally tolerable weekly intake.
Keywords: Forest; Sweden; fungi; heavy metals; organic food; trace elements.