Radiocaesium in Cortinarius spp. mushrooms in the regions of the Reggio Emilia in Italy and Pomerania in Poland

Abstract

Activity concentrations of 134Cs and 137Cs have been determined in 23 species of mushrooms of the genus Cortinarius (59 individual samples) collected from the Reggio Emilia in Italy 1992–1999 and in 4 species (16 composite samples and 413 individuals) from the Pomerania region in Poland from 1996 to 2015. Across all the Cortinarius species from the Reggio Emilia, the activity concentrations were relatively high in Cortinarius alboviolaceus, Cortinarius duracinus, Cortinarius orellanus, Cortinarius rapaceus, and Cortinarius subannulatus, in which 137Cs was at 10,000 ~ 100,000 Bq kg−1 dry biomass (db) in 1994. Smaller activity concentrations were found in Cortinarius bivelus, Cortinarius bulliardii, Cortinarius cotoneus, Cortinarius largus, Cortinarius lividoviolaceus, Cortinarius purpureus, Cortinarius rufo-olivaceus, Cortinarius torvus, and Cortinarius venetus with levels at 1000 ~ 6000 Bq kg−1 db from 1992 to 1994, and further in Cortinarius anserinus, Cortinarius auroturbinatus, C. largus, Cortinarius praestans, Cortinarius purpurascens, Cortinarius scaurus, Cortinarius sebaceous, Cortinarius talus, and Cortinarius variecolor with activity concentrations at 100 ~ 600 Bq kg−1 db in 1994. All the data were calculated for dehydrated fungal material corrected back to the exact date samples of collection. The greatest activity concentrations of 137Cs both in Italy (1992–1999) and Poland (1996–2010) were found in the popular Cortinarius caperatus, confirming its very high capacity of radiocaesium accumulation. Besides 137Cs, the isotope 134Cs was detected in some species from the Reggio Emilia. An average calculated ratio of activities of 134Cs to 137Cs referenced to 1986 was equal to 0.38 in mushrooms from the Reggio Emilia, and this value slightly differ from that specific for Chernobyl fallout, which was 0.54. It was calculated that 137Cs originating from Chernobyl accident constituted about 68 % of the total activity concentration of the isotope in Reggio Emilia in 1986, while as much as 32 % of 137Cs in mushrooms were from the global fallout from nuclear bomb testing.

Artificial 137Cs and natural 40K in mushrooms from the subalpine region of the Minya Konka summit and Yunnan Province in China

“…in the stipes was the most contaminated species. It is known that among mushrooms of the genus Cortinarius , some can much better accumulate radiocaesium in fruit bodies than others (Bakken and Olsen 1990 ; Zalewska et al 2016 ).…”

“…This may also apply to mushrooms growing in Yunnan. It is worth mentioning that ~ 32% of the 137 Cs concentration activity accumulated in mushrooms of the genus Cortinarius and from 39 to 46% in Boletus edulis from the Reggio Emilia in Italy (region affected by fallout from Chernobyl) collected in 1992–1994 was from the pre-Chernobyl fallout and respectively to that ~ 68% and 54% to 61% was from the Chernobyl fallout (Cocchi et al 2017 ; Zalewska et al 2016 ).…”

Radioactive artificial 137Cs and natural 40K activity in 21 edible mushrooms of the genus Boletus species from SW China

“…However, locally or regionally, also mushrooms form some other locations in Europe were highly affected (Mietelski et al 2010; Strandberg 2004; Zalewska et al 2016), while in many other sites were much less or little affected (Daillant et al 2013; García et al 2015; Karadeniz and Yaprak 2010; Rakić et al 2014; Turhan et al 2007). From the toxicological point of view, some radioactive compounds other than radiocaesium accumulated by fungi in fruiting bodies can also highly matter, but the number of published data is much less (Kirchner and Daillant 1998; Saniewski et al 2016; Strumińska-Patulska et al 2016).…”

210Po and 210Pb bioaccumulation and possible related dose assessment in parasol mushroom (Macrolepiota procera)

“…As stated by the authors Falandysz and Borovička ( 2013 ), there is no reason for mushrooms to discriminate between stable and radioactive isotopes of elements when absorbed and accumulated in the mushroom flesh, while their accessibility and availability at sites where the mycelium lives can be different. Frequently studied is 137 Cs that polluted the surface of the Earth due to global radioactive fallout after using and testing of nuclear weapons and from nuclear power plant accidents but also 40 K that is of natural terrestrial origin (Mietelski et al 2010 ; Steinhauser et al 2014 ; Falandysz et al 2016 ; Zalewska et al 2016 ; Falandysz et al 2017d ). Other radionuclides studied in mushrooms included 210 Po, 210 Pb, 234,238 U, 228,230,232 Th, 238 Pu, 239 + 240 Pu (Mietelski et al 2002 ; Vaaramaa et al 2009 ; Guillén and Baeza 2014 ; Strumińska-Parulska et al 2016 ).…”