Levels of environmental mercury (Hg) within the Canadian Arctic are a current area of concern. Although efforts have been made to reduce Hg released into the environment, levels remain elevated in flora and fauna. This study examined the concentrations of Hg in soil and naturally occurring edible plant and fungi species, identified by local Inuit residents, from eight locations in Iqaluit, Nunavut, and the surrounding area during the summers of 2018 and 2019. Total Hg concentrations were obtained in 24 soil samples, 112 flora samples from 23 plant and five lichen species, and 157 fungal samples from eight species. Median Hg concentrations in plant species ranged from 0.005 μg g⁻¹ Hg dry weight (dw) in Saxifraga cernua to 0.19 μg g⁻¹ Hg dw in Oxytropis maydelliana. Median concentrations in edible fungi species ranged from 0.084 μg g⁻¹ Hg dw in the Cortinarius croceus (non-puffball species) to 1.6 μg g⁻¹ Hg dw in Lycoperdon perlatum (a puffball mushroom). Additionally, median Hg concentration in puffball species (1.4 μg g⁻¹) were higher than non-puffball species (0.12 μg g⁻¹). Three puffball species were assessed for methylmercury (MeHg), with mean concentrations ranging from 0.013 to 0.085 μg g⁻¹ MeHg dw. Limited research has been conducted on Hg uptake in naturally occurring edible plant and fungi species of the Canadian Arctic. This study contributes important information on Hg accumulation and processes in edible plant and fungi Arctic species, is the first to focus on plants used by the local Indigenous community, and demonstrates a need for further studies to assess Hg in Arctic environments.

中文翻译：

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评估加拿大北极环境中食用植物和真菌物种中的汞浓度

加拿大北极地区的环境汞 (Hg) 水平是当前关注的领域。尽管已努力减少释放到环境中的汞，但动植物中的汞含量仍然很高。本研究检查了 2018 年和 2019 年夏季伊魁特、努纳武特和周边地区的八个地点的当地因纽特居民确定的土壤和天然存在的食用植物和真菌物种中的汞浓度。总汞浓度是在24 个土壤样品，23 种植物和 5 种地衣物种的 112 种植物群样品，以及 8 种植物的 157 种真菌样品。植物物种中汞浓度的中位数范围从虎耳草的0.005 μg g ^-1 Hg 干重 (dw) 到虎耳草的0.19 μg g ^-1 Hg dw麦地棘豆。食用真菌物种的中值浓度范围从Cortinarius croceus（非马勃物种）中的0.084 μg g ^-1 Hg dw到Lycoperdon perlatum（一种马勃蘑菇）中的1.6 μg g ^-1 Hg dw 。此外，马勃物种中的中值汞浓度（1.4 μg g ^-1）高于非马勃物种（0.12 μg g ^-1）。对三种马勃物种的甲基汞 (MeHg) 进行了评估，平均浓度范围为 0.013 至 0.085 μg g ^-1甲基汞 dw。对加拿大北极地区天然存在的食用植物和真菌物种的汞吸收进行了有限的研究。这项研究提供了关于北极食用植物和真菌物种中汞积累和过程的重要信息，是第一个关注当地土著社区使用的植物，并表明需要进一步研究以评估北极环境中的汞。