Influence of salinity and temperature on uptake of perfluorinated carboxylic acids (PFCAs) by hydroponically grown wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Abstract

Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have recently attracted increasing concerns due to their ubiquitous existence, adverse effects and persistence in environment. This study employed four perfluorinated carboxylic acids (PFCAs) to examine effects of salinity and temperature on the PFAS uptake in wheat, one of the major crops in the North China Plain. Wheat plants were grown in the spiked-PFCA hydroponic culture system at different salinities and temperatures. As expected, salinity and temperature significantly impacted the root uptake and translocation of wheat to four PFCAs, and the concentrations for each of PFCAs in wheat root and shoot increased with increasing salinity and temperature, respectively. PFCA concentrations at high salinity or high temperature were up to thrice those found at low salinity or low temperature. Except for perfluorobutanoic acid, the amount of PFCAs in root was always higher than that in shoot at the ranges of salinity and temperature tested. Additionally salinity and temperature were also capable of influencing the transfer factors (TFs) of four PFCAs, and significant increase was observed in the TFs in response to the increases in salinity and temperature.