⁹⁰Sr in King Bolete Boletus edulis and certain other mushrooms consumed in Europe and China

The ⁹⁰Sr activity concentrations released from a radioactive fallout have been determined in a range of samples of mushrooms collected in Poland, Belarus, China, and Sweden in 1996–2013. Measurement of ⁹⁰Sr in pooled samples of mushrooms was carried out with radiochemical procedure aimed to pre-isolate the analyte from the fungal materials before it was determined using the Low-Level Beta Counter. Interestingly, the Purple Bolete Imperator rhodopurpureus collected from Yunnan in south-western China in 2012 showed ⁹⁰Sr activity concentration at around 10 Bq kg⁻¹ dry biomass, which was greater when compared to other mushrooms in this study. The King Bolete Boletus edulis from China showed the ⁹⁰Sr activity in caps at around 1.5 Bq kg⁻¹ dry biomass (whole fruiting bodies) in 2012 and for specimens from Poland activity was well lower than 1.0 Bq kg⁻¹ dry biomass in 1998–2010. A sample of Sarcodonimbricatus collected in 1998 from the north-eastern region of Poland impacted by Chernobyl fallout showed ⁹⁰Sr in caps at around 5 Bq kg⁻¹ dry biomass. Concentration of ⁹⁰Sr in Bay Bolete Royoporus (Xerocomus or Boletus) badius from affected region of Gomel in Belarus was in 2010 at 2.1 Bq kg⁻¹ dry biomass. In several other species from Poland ⁹⁰Sr was at < 0.5 to around 1.0 Bq kg⁻¹ dry biomass. Activity concentrations of ⁹⁰Sr in popular B. edulis and some other mushrooms collected from wild in Poland were very low (< 1 Bq kg⁻¹ dry biomass), and values noted showed on persistence of this type of radioactivity in mushrooms over time passing from nuclear weapons tests and the Chernobyl nuclear power plant catastrophe. - Highlights: • Mushrooms are an important food in some regions of the world. • Radioactive strontium (⁹⁰Sr) in mushrooms from Europe and China was measured. • Purple Bolete Imperator rhodopurpureus from Yunnan in China accumulates ⁹⁰Sr. • ⁹⁰Sr was at 11 ± 0 to 12 ± 0 Bq kg⁻¹ dry biomass in caps of I. rhodopurpureus. • Consumption of mushrooms poses no health risk for either region.