Evaluating the Suitability of Heavy Metal Content in Sawdust, Paddy Straw and Oil Palm Frond for Mushroom Cultivation

Abstract

Abundant agricultural biomass can be used as alternative substrates for mushroom cultivation due to the sawdust prices have been increasing and can affect the cost of the mushroom production. Mushrooms have been observed to absorb and store a variety of chemical elements where they can lead to contamination towards the edible fruiting bodies. This heavy metal was analysed by AAS using dry ashing method. Results were demonstrated that heavy metal content for paddy straw is follow WHO/FAO safe limit quantity Cu, Fe, Zn and Pb were 0.1433mg/L, 1.5993mg/L, 0.8090mg/L and 0.0233mg/L, respectively. However, arsenic content for paddy straw recorded the lowest amount between the treatments which is 2.0423mg/L and nearly reaching the permissible limit.