The aim of the study was to study the geographical and temporal variation of Cd, Pb, As and Ni in wild edible mushrooms and to evaluate possible toxicological risks resulting from their consumption. The research focused on 12 mushroom species commonly collected in Finland. The samples were collected at common collection sites in Southern Finland between the years 1977 and 1999 and analysed using ICP-MS. The median dry weight concentrations ranged between 0.22-29.70 mg kg-1 d.w. for Cd, 0.36-6.05 mg kg-1 d.w. for Pb, 0.14-5.11 mg kg-1 d.w. for As and 0.41-9.08 mg kg-1 d.w. for Ni. The highest concentrations of Cd, Pb and As were found in Agaricus abruptibulbus and the highest level of Ni in Albatrellus ovinus. The Pb concentrations in A. abruptibulbus and Cd levels in Lactarius species were found to be significantly higher at polluted than at unpolluted sites. The Pb contents of A. ovinus, Boletus species, Cantharellus tubaeformis and Lactarius species as well as Cd levels of A. abruptibulbus and Leccinum species were signifi cantly higher for samples collected in 1977-1983 than for ones collected in 1992-1999. Decomposer species had generally higher concentrations of Cd, Pb and As than mycorrhizal fungi. Apart from the high element concentrations of A. abruptibulbus, the consumption of mushrooms was generally not considered to pose a toxicological risk in the light of the safety limits set by WHO. However, the Cd and Pb contents in A. abruptibulbus and Cd levels of Gyromitra esculenta and Boletus species exceeded the EU maximum permitted concentrations for cultivated mushrooms
