Wild mushroom contamination by 137Cs in Central Slovakia region in 2011

A total of 98 wild mushrooms (24 species collected at 26 sites) were analyzed for 137Cs in 2011. The radionuclide was determined separately in the caps and the stipes of the majority of the mushrooms species. The highest activities were found in the genera Boletus, Leccinum, Lactarius and Russula whereas the lowest activities were found in Amanita. In the vast majority of mushrooms, the cap-to-stipe 137Cs activity ratio was larger than 1. The cap-to-stipe 137Cs activity ratio did not correlate with the cap-to-stipe 40K activity ratio in Russula or Amanita. The cap of a Boletus pulverulentus specimen collected at Skalka pri Kremnici in August had a 137Cs activity 190 Bq/kg fresh sample. For an individual who ate 10 kg of fresh caps of this mushroom during a year, their committed effective dose estimate is 0.025 mSv/year (adults) or 0.019 mSv/year (children aged 10). (orig.)