The aim of this study was to evaluate the contamination of six edible wild species of mushrooms (Boletus pulverulentus, Cantharellus cibarius, Lactarius quietus, Macrolepiota procera, Russula xerampelina and Suillus grevillei) by heavy metals (Hg, Cd, Pb, Zn, Cu, Ni, Cr, Co, Mn and Fe). Mushroom samples were collected from sites contaminated by emissions from mining and processing of polymetallic ores in operation during the period 1969–1993 in Rudňany, southeast Slovakia. The four study sites spanned up to a 5-km distance from the emission source. The collected mushroom samples were analyzed using Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry and/or Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry with graphite furnace. Mercury, Cd and, in some samples, also Pb present the highest risks in terms of contamination of the food chain following subsequent consumption. The content of two metals in the dry matter (dm) of the mushrooms exceeded the limits set by the European Union (EU; Cd: 0.5 mg/kg dm, Pb: 1.0 mg/kg dm). The highest mean contents of the eight metals recorded for S. grevillei were 52.2, 2.15, 107, 104, 2.27, 2.49, 81.6 and 434 mg/kg dm for Hg, Pb, Zn, Cu, Ni, Cr, Mn and Fe, respectively. The highest content of Cd was recorded in M. procera (3.05 mg/kg dm) and that of Co in L. quietus (0.90 mg/kg dm). The calculated weekly intake for Hg, Pb and Cd shows that regular consumption of mushrooms from the studied area poses risks to human health.

The total polyphenolic content and the antioxidant activity have been analyzed in ground beans of green, light, medium and dark roasted coffee by UV-VIS spectrometry. Water coffee extracts showed the highest levels of polyphenols in green and light roasted coffees where the total polyphenolic content (TPC) ranged from 49.19 ± 0.70 to 74.05 ± 0.28 and from 59.79 ± 1.45 to 38.34 ± 1.26 g GAE.kg⁻¹, respectively. In medium roast samples it ranged from 43.90 ± 3.07 to 74.05 ± 0.28g GAE.kg⁻¹ and in dark roast from 37.44 ± 0.63 to 47.41 ± 0.69 g GAE.kg⁻¹. The total antioxidant capacity (TAC) reached the highest values (DPPH inhibition ranging from 69.08 ± 1.33% to 78.55 ± 0.89%) in light roasted coffees. Dark roasted coffees showed both the lowest content of polyphenols as well as the total antioxidant capacity. In case of TPC, statistically significant differences (P˂0.001) have been identified between green coffee and other roasted degrees. Also, dark coffee showed statistically noticeable differences (P˂0.001) in TPC in relation to other roasted stages. Statistically important difference (P˂0.001) has been discovered between the total antioxidant capacity of dark roasted coffee and other roasting levels. The results demonstrated that roasting process affects both the oxidative activity as well as polyphenolic content.

The contamination level of 92 samples (12 species) of wild edible mushrooms and underlying substrates with heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb and Zn) in the Slovak Paradise National Park that borders with a region of historical mining and processing of polymetallic ores, were determined. The collected samples were analyzed using of atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The metals were determined separately in hymenophore (H) and rest of fruit bodies (RFB). Bioaccumulation factor as well as ratio of metal content in H and RFB were calculated. Cadmium and lead contents in hymenophore exceeded statutory limits of the EU (Cd: 0.5 mg/kg dry weight (dw), Pb: 1.0 mg/kg dw) for edible mushrooms in 96% and 83% of the samples, respectively. The risk from the consumption of the collected mushroom species was calculated based on the provisionally tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) values, and the highest health risk arising with consumption of particularly Macrolepiota procera, Marasmius oreades and Russula vesca from the observed area was demonstrated. It was shown that average weekly consumption of tested mushrooms species results the threat of exceeding of PTWI limits in the case of cadmium values (by 164%, 86% and 4% of PTWI for M. oreades, R. vesca and R. puellaris, respectively) and of mercury (by 96% of PTWI for M. procera) but not lead.