2Karadeniz Technical University, Department of Physics, TRABZON
3Giresun University, Department of Physics, GIRESUN
4Selçuk University, Department of Biology, KONYA
Abstract
Heavy metals and radionuclides of human origin and naturally occurring in nature are accumulated in plants, animals and fungi. In particular, some fungal species have a high capacity to absorb radionuclides. In this study, some metals (27Al, 52Cr, 55Mn, 56Fe, 59Co, 60Ni, 63Cu, 66Zn, 75As, 111Cd, 204Hg, 206Pb) and radionuclides (232Th, 238U, 40K, 137Cs) of culture mushrooms such as Pleurotus eryingii, Pleurotus citrinopileatus (cultivated on alder and walnut tree sawdust, separately) and Pleurotus djamor (cultivated on beech and walnut tree sawdust, separately) were investigated. Metal accumulations were determined using Inductively Coupled Plasma – Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS). Radioactivity measurements were performed by using High Purity Germanium (HPGe) detectors. Among the studied mushrooms, Pleurotus citrinopileatus has drawn attention with highest 52Cr, 55Mn, 60Ni, 63Cu, 66Zn, 204Hg, 206Pb content. Among the radionuclides 232Th, 238U content were not determined in any mushroom species. 137Cs was not detected in any mushrooms except Pleurotus citrinopileatus cultivated on alder tree sawdust (15 ± 3 Bq/kg.). The highest 40K radionuclide content was determined in Pleurotus eryingii mushroom cultivated on alder tree sawdust with 947 ± 32 Bq/kg. It was concluded that the metal and radionuclide content of mushrooms were affected by mushroom type and cultivation conditions.