Kosiarski Kelly, Usner Charles Zeke, Preisendanz Heather E
Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA.
Institute of Sustainable, Agricultural, Food and Environmental Science, College of Agricultural Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA.
J Environ Qual. 2025 Jan-Feb;54(1):66-79. doi: 10.1002/jeq2.20630. Epub 2024 Oct 3.
Reusing treated wastewater for irrigation is a sustainable way to recycle nutrients and reduce freshwater use. However, wastewater irrigation inadvertently introduces per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) into agroecosystems, causing concerns regarding potential adverse effects to ecosystem, animal, and human health. Therefore, a better understanding of the pathways by which PFAS accumulate in forage crops is needed. A greenhouse study was conducted to (1) quantify the contribution of root uptake versus foliar sorption of PFAS in corn (Zea mays) and orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata), (2) assess effects of PFAS-impacted wastewater irrigation on plant health, and (3) determine the potential implications for bioaccumulation. The greenhouse study was composed of four treatments for each forage crop to isolate the relative contribution of two uptake pathways. Results suggested that foliar sorption was an unlikely contributor to PFAS concentrations observed in crop tissue. Root uptake was identified as the predominant uptake pathway. PFAS were detected more frequently in orchard grass samples compared to corn silage samples. Additionally, corn exhibited a lower uptake of long-chain PFAS compared to grass. Overall, no plant health effects on growth attributable to PFAS concentrations were observed. Forage data suggest cattle exposure to PFAS would be largely short-chain PFAS or long-chain "replacement" compounds (>50%). However, cattle may still be exposed to potentially harmful long-chain PFAS; levels in the forage crops exceeded the tolerable weekly intake set by the European Food Safety Authority. This study provides insights on PFAS entry into the food chain and potential implications for livestock and human health.
将经过处理的废水再利用于灌溉是一种可持续的营养物质循环利用和减少淡水使用的方式。然而，废水灌溉无意中将全氟和多氟烷基物质（PFAS）引入农业生态系统，引发了对生态系统、动物和人类健康潜在不利影响的担忧。因此，需要更好地了解PFAS在饲料作物中积累的途径。开展了一项温室研究，以（1）量化玉米（Zea mays）和果园草（Dactylis glomerata）中PFAS的根系吸收与叶面吸附的贡献，（2）评估受PFAS影响的废水灌溉对植物健康的影响，以及（3）确定生物累积的潜在影响。温室研究针对每种饲料作物设置了四种处理，以分离两种吸收途径的相对贡献。结果表明，叶面吸附不太可能是作物组织中观察到的PFAS浓度的来源。根系吸收被确定为主要的吸收途径。与玉米青贮样品相比，果园草样品中更频繁地检测到PFAS。此外，与草相比，玉米对长链PFAS的吸收较低。总体而言，未观察到因PFAS浓度对生长产生的植物健康影响。饲料数据表明，牛接触的PFAS主要是短链PFAS或长链“替代”化合物（>50%）。然而，牛仍可能接触到潜在有害的长链PFAS；饲料作物中的含量超过了欧洲食品安全局设定的每周可耐受摄入量。这项研究提供了关于PFAS进入食物链以及对牲畜和人类健康潜在影响的见解。
