(210)Po and (210)Pb bioaccumulation and possible related dose assessment in parasol mushroom (Macrolepiota procera)

Presented are results of a study on accumulation and distribution of (210)Po and (210)Pb in the fruitbodies of parasol mushroom (Macrolepiota procera) and risk to human consumer due to exposure from highly radiotoxic decay particles emitted by both radionuclides. Mushrooms were collected from 16 forested places in central and northern regions of Poland. Activity concentrations of (210)Po and (210)Pb were determined after radiochemical separation of nuclides and subsequent measurement using validated method and alpha spectrometer. Results showed on spatially heterogeneous distribution of the (210)Po and (210)Po activity concentrations in M. procera and two interpolation maps were prepared. Activity concentrations of nuclides in dried caps of M. procera were in the range from 3.38 ± 0.41 to 16.70 ± 0.33 Bq∙(210)Po ∙kg(−1) and from 5.11 ± 0.21 to 13.42 ± 0.30 Bq∙(210)Pb ∙kg(−1). Consumption of M. procera foraged in central and northern Poland should not contribute significantly to the annual effective radiation doses from (210)Po and (210)Pb due to amount of both nuclides accumulated by fungus in caps.