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Bibliometric analysis of European publications between 2001 and 2016 on concentrations of selected elements in mushrooms

Summary

Researchers reviewed 200 European studies from 2001-2016 examining how mushrooms absorb heavy metals from soil. They found that mushrooms, especially edible species, can accumulate dangerous metals like cadmium, lead, and mercury, with the highest contamination in mushrooms from polluted industrial areas. Turkey, Poland, Spain, and Czech Republic led research efforts on this topic. Scientists increasingly used health risk assessment methods to determine safe consumption levels of mushrooms from different habitats.

Background

Mushrooms accumulate nutrients and minerals from soil through their hyphae structure, but can also concentrate heavy metals such as cadmium, mercury, and lead. The ability to bioaccumulate trace elements results from the specific structure of the mycelium with its large surface area. Understanding elemental contamination in mushrooms is important for assessing health risks from consumption.

Objective

This bibliometric study analyzed 200 European publications released between 2001 and 2016 to examine trends in research on contamination of mushrooms by selected elements. The analysis categorized publications by analyte type, concentration, fungal species, and country of origin to assess research patterns and health risk assessments.

Results

Analysis of 492 mushroom species from 26 European countries identified 74 associated elements. Turkey, Poland, Spain, and Czech Republic produced the most publications. Boletus edulis was the most frequently studied species. Heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Fe, Pb, Zn) were the focus of most studies, with over 50% of publications addressing edible mushrooms and their contamination risks.

Conclusion

European research on fungal contamination by selected elements remained popular over the 16-year period. Most studies emphasized the need to assess health risks from consuming contaminated mushrooms. Research increasingly used indices like PTWI to evaluate safety, particularly for heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Hg) in edible species.
  • Published in:Environmental Science and Pollution Research International,
  • Study Type:Bibliometric Analysis,
  • Source: PMID: 32329001, DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-08693-5
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