Abstract:

The contents, absorption and accumulation of mineral elements in different parts of fruit bodies of 8 wild Boletus
species collected from Yunnan province were investigated. The contents of 12 metal elements (Mg, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cr,
As, Cd, Pb, Li, and Ba) in stipes and caps were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS)
after microwave digestion. All data obtained were analyzed by analysis of variance (ANOVA) through SPSS. The safety of
Boletus consumption was evaluated on the basis of the mineral element data. The results showed that the recovery rates of
12 metals in a standard material GBW 10015 (spinach) ranged from 88% to 105% and the limits of detection (LODs) were
0.036–9.456 μg/L, indicating that the method is accurate and reliable. Both stipes and caps from eight wild Boletus species
were rich in Fe, Mg, Mn, Zn and Cu. For most of the Boletus species studied, the contents of Zn, Mg, Cu, Cr and As were
higher in caps than in stipes, whereas Li and Ba were higher in stipes than in caps. The levels of toxic heavy metals (Pb, As,
Cd, Ni and Cr) were higher than the maximum levels of contaminants in foods according to the Chinese National Standard
GB 2762—2012, suggesting potential health risks. The contents of 12 element contents in wild Boletus species were
significantly different among 8 wild Boletus species and among different parts of the same species. The results also showed
that the wild mushroom species could absorb and accumulate mineral elements and heavy metals.

Key words: microwave digestion, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), wild Boletus, mineral elements