title: [Mercury content of mushrooms (author's transl)].
abstract: The mercury content of 236 species of wild mushrooms was determined by flameless atomic absorption spectroscopy. Of each species several samples--altogether 616--were tested. The mercury content was between 0.04 and 21.60 mg/kg dry weight, equivalent to 0.002 and 3.090 mg/kg fresh weight. The mercury content was clearly species-dependent. Mercury-rich species particularly were found in Tricholomataceae, Agaricaceae and Lycoperdaceae, whereas in Boletaceae, Amanitaceae and Russulaceae mercury-rich species were rather rare. There was a considerable variability within species, too; hence, other factors, yet unknown, must also determine the mercury content. Geographical influences were not demonstrable. All mushrooms grown on wood had a very low mercury content. Storing over several years did not diminish the mercury content of dried mushrooms. The highest mercury content was found in a poisonous mushroom, but on the average, poisonous mushrooms contained less mercury than edible ones.
mesh_terms: D000363:Agaricales / Q000032:analysis; D000545:Amanita / Q000032:analysis; D001487:Basidiomycota / Q000032:analysis*; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis*; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic
chemical_list: D008628:Mercury
vernacular_title: Quecksilbergehalt der Pilze