Uranium (234U, 238U) and thorium (230Th, 232Th) in mushrooms of genus Leccinum and Leccinellum and the potential effective ionizing radiation dose assessment for human. (July 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Szymańska, Karolina; Strumińska-Parulska, Dagmara; Falandysz, Jerzy
• Is Part Of: Chemosphere. Volume 250(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-07
• Subjects: Uranium (234U -- 238U) -- Thorium (230Th -- 232Th) -- Food radioactivity -- Mushrooms -- Effective radiation dose; Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Physiological effect -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Periodicals; Atmospheric chemistry -- Periodicals; 551.511
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.126242
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0045-6535

Abstract

Abstract: Evaluated has been bioconcentration potential by fungi and risk to human consumers from exposure to natural long-lived radioactive uranium ( 234 U, 238 U) and thorium ( 230 Th, 232 Th) sequestered in stems, caps and the whole fruiting bodies by mushrooms of the genus Leccinum and Leccinellum . Edible species in the study were collected from boreal forests in the northern regions of Poland and investigated: red-capped scaber ( Leccinum aurantiacum ), orange oak bolete ( Leccinum aurantiacum var. quercinum ), foxy bolete ( Leccinum vulpinum ), slate bolete ( Leccinum aurantiacum var. duriusculum ) and hazel bolete ( Leccinellum pseudoscabrum ). The study showed the species accumulated uranium ( 234 U, 238 U) and thorium ( 230Th, 232 Th) form soil to some degree but the calculated values of the bioconcentration factor were below 1. The evaluation showed that Leccinum and Leccinellum mushrooms can contribute to annual effective radiation dose maximally at about 0.9 μSv. Hence, consumption of these mushrooms might increase the annual effective ionizing radiation dose received by a human, while the exposure is considered low from the toxicological point of view even if eaten at elevated amounts. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: Five species of forest mushrooms of the genus Leccinum and Leccinellum were examined. Mushrooms of the genus Leccinum and Leccinellum bioconcentrated 234 U, 238 U, 230 Th and 232 Th. Risk to human consumers from exposure to natural long-lived radioactive was estimated. The fungi could be considered as an additional source of these nuclides in human diet.