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White rot fungi (WRF) are known to have the ability to degrade organic pollutants with a structure similar to lignin. Because of this, the degradation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) congeners no. 28, 52, 101, 138, 153 and 180 by substrate before fruiting (substrate) and/or after fruiting (SMS) from cultivated mushrooms Pleurotus ostreatus, Lentinula edodes and Agaricus bisporus was examined. The experiment was carried out in four replications for each treatment using a mixture of substrate/SMS and sandy soil with PCBs at a concentration of each congener at 50 and 100 μg kg−1 soil DW. The results indicate that degradation was dependent on substrate/SMS addition, the concentration of PCBs and time of incubation. The efficiency of PCB degradation was generally reduced with the number of chlorine atoms in the structure of congeners: 28, 52, 101, 138, 153 or 180. In all combinations, degradation increased with incubation time. Degradation by SMS was lower in comparison to degradation by a substrate of the same mushroom. The degree of degradation of a single PCB after 12 weeks of incubation for A. bisporus ranged from 31.32 ± 1.52 to 83.91 ± 1.07%, while for P. ostreatus it was between 37.88 ± 2.54 and 78.29 ± 1.41%; for L. edodes it ranged from 17.38 ± 1.06 to 75.30 ± 1.46%. The best average degradation was confirmed for 20% SMS of A. bisporus at 50 μg kg−1 PCB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. This paper constitutes a supplementary study of the research conducted to assess accumulation efficiency of selected trace elements by Xerocomus badius fruiting bodies picked in some regions of Poland in selected years. Material and methods. Atomic absorption/emission spectrometry techniques (FAAS and AES) were applied to determine in the fruiting bodies of this mushroom species the total contents of Ca, K, Mg and Na, as well as Al as a metal capable of entering into easy interactions with nutritional elements and inhibiting their proper action in the human organism. Results. The highest concentrations of Al, K and Mg were determined in mushroom fruiting bodies collected in the Lower Silesia Voivodeship, amounting to 28.08 ±5.81 mg·kg-1 d.w., 2.39 ±0.21 g·kg-1 d.w. and 372.31 ±90.55 mg·kg-1 d.w., respectively. On the other hand, the highest concentrations of Ca (78.08 ±24.64 mg·kg-1 d.w.) were recorded in mushrooms from the Lódz Voivodeship, while the highest concentrations of Na (77.03 ±20.46 mg·kg-1 d.w.) - in those from the Pomeranian Voivodeship were observed. In general, BCF > 1 was found only for K accumulation. Conclusion. Concentrations of nutritional elements determined in this study revealed that the consumption of X. badius fruiting bodies supplied only small quantities of these constituents in comparison with the amounts consumed in other products. The detected Al concentrations showed that fruiting bodies of this mushroom species consumed in Poland during the past 20 years could not lead to health problems caused by the presence of this metal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]