Mechanisms of PFAS uptake and bioaccumulation in plants.
Fawad M, Wu T, Xu X, Wang J, Zhou X
Phytoremediation
Vegetables and fruits grown in PFAS-contaminated soil — including produce from farms near industrial sites or treated with certain biosolid fertilizers — may be quietly delivering toxic chemicals to your dinner plate.
PFAS are man-made chemicals used in non-stick pans, waterproof clothing, and firefighting foam that don't break down and have spread through soil and water worldwide. Plants absorb these chemicals through their roots along with water, and the chemicals build up in their tissues — meaning contaminated soil leads to contaminated food. Researchers are now looking at tough wild plants that can soak up large amounts of PFAS and then be harvested and processed at high heat to destroy the chemicals, offering a cheaper and greener cleanup method than traditional approaches.
Key Findings
Plants absorb PFAS from soil through the same channels used for water and nutrient transport, including aquaporins and anion channels, meaning uptake is nearly unavoidable in contaminated soils.
Conventional soil remediation for PFAS is costly and inefficient because PFAS bind tightly to soil minerals and colloids, highlighting the need for plant-based (phytoremediation) alternatives.
Wild stress-tolerant plants can hyperaccumulate PFAS, and burning harvested plant biomass (pyrolysis) can destroy the chemicals while producing biochar, offering a dual-benefit cleanup strategy.
chevron_right Technical Summary
Toxic industrial chemicals called PFAS are accumulating in farm soils and being absorbed into food crops, posing health risks. This review identifies how plants take up these 'forever chemicals' and evaluates wild plant species that could be used to clean contaminated soils naturally.
Abstract Preview
Anthropogenic activities, including industrialization and mining, have contributed to the widespread occurrence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in agroecosystems. Soil is a major sink...
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