Detrimental, Essential, and Nutritionally Nonessential Elements in Fruiting Bodies of Auricularia auricula-judae (Agaricomycetes) Collected in Localities with Different Environmental Burdens

Selected detrimental, essential, and nutritionally nonessential elements (total of 26 elements) were determined in fruiting bodies of Auricularia auricula-judae taken from three localities with different environmental burdens: a sampling site with no direct sources of contamination, a site located near a heavily trafficked road, and a site located near an amphibolite quarry. The analysis revealed that proximity of the road led to increased contents (mg/kg of dry matter; compared with the site without any direct contamination) of Al (140 vs. 40), As (0.14 vs. 0.06), Ba (17 vs. 11), Ca (5600 vs. 2600), Co (0.17 vs. 0.07), Cr (0.51 vs. 0.28), Cu (4.6 vs. 3.4), Fe (200 vs. 120), Mn (32 vs. 21), Mo (0.31 vs. 0.15), Na (420 vs. 170), Ni (1.4 vs. 0.72), Pb (0.14 vs. 0.08), Sr (15 vs. 9.7), and V (0.33 vs. 0.12). Similarly, the amphibolite quarrying led to increased contents of Al (590 vs. 40), As (0.15 vs. 0.06), Ca (9300 vs. 2600), Co (0.27 vs. 0.07), Cr (2.8 vs. 0.28), Cu (6.2 vs. 3.4), Fe (400 vs. 120), Mg (2400 vs. 1800), Mo (0.60 vs. 0.15), Na (370 vs. 170), Ni (1.6 vs. 0.72), Pb (0.18 vs. 0.08), Sr (17 vs. 9.7), and V (0.80 vs. 0.12) in comparison with the site without direct contamination. The studied sources of contamination may substantially affect the element levels in A. auricula-judae fruiting bodies, and this must be considered if this mushroom is collected for culinary or alternative medicine purposes.