Radionuclides content in Xerocomus badius and other commercial mushrooms from several regions of Poland

Abstract In this study the levels of 137 Cs, mostly originating from the Chernobyl fallout, as well as levels of natural radionuclides 40 K and 210 Pb present in caps and stalks of edible mushroom samples and soil from Poland were measured. The analytical technique used was alpha spectrometry to determine 210 Pb through its granddaughter 210 Po. The 137 Cs and 40 K activity concentrations were determined by gamma spectrometry. The radionuclide activities in Xerocomus badius were in the ranges: 330–6670 ( 137 Cs), 180–1520 ( 40 K) and 0.70–32.0 ( 210 Pb) Bq kg −1 d.w. The highest measured concentration of 137 Cs was in the caps of X. badius from the Borecka Forest. The caps of examined mushrooms showed significantly higher activity concentrations compared to the stalks. In order to estimate the degree of accumulation of each element by mushrooms, transfer factor (TF) soil–cap and soil–stalk values were calculated. Also, some commercial mushrooms were examined such as dried, frozen and marinated products.