Micro- and Macroelements Content and Health Risk Assessment of Morchella esculenta and Lactarius piperatus from Bosnia and Herzegovina

Abstract

The content of micro- and macroelements in dry wild and edible Morchella esculenta and Lactarius piperatus mushrooms collected in Bosnia and Herzegovina was determined using the ICP-OES (inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrom- etry) technique. The contents of microelements in M. esculenta and L. piperatus expressed in mg kg −1 DW (dry weight) were as follows: Co 0.08 and 0.28, Cu 37.35 and 27.66, Fe 174.29 and 28.11, Mn 21.26 and 19.31, Se 0.46 and 0.52, Zn 122.84 and 45.06, Al 27.80 and 24.80, Cr 0.83 and 1.06, Ni 0.99 and 0.96, As 0.32 and 0.09, Cd 0.48 and 0.13, and Pb 0.61 and 0.12, respectively, while the contents of macroelements were: K 26989.48 and 36117.20, Na 70.85 and 28.60, Ca 643.48 and 271.93, Mg 684.16 and 840.64, S 2329.33 and 610.42, and P 10339.35 and 5107.63, respectively. In this study, the potential health risks of heavy metals were assessed, and target hazard quotient (THQ) for As, Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn, Ni, and Cr in the tested mushrooms was lower than the safe level. Edible wild mushrooms M. esculenta and L. piperatus , according to this study, could be used in human nutrition due to their favourable characteristics. Based on the accumulations of heavy metals in the tested mushrooms, it was shown that the collection surfaces are environmentally acceptable. Mushrooms collected from this area are generally safe to eat and pose no health risks to humans.