title: Susceptibility of riparian wetland plants to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) accumulation.
abstract: As plants have been shown to accumulate organic compounds from contaminated sediments, there is a potential for long-lasting ecological impact as a result of contaminant accumulation in riparian areas of wetlands, particularly the accumulation of non-biodegradable contaminants such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). In this study, commonly found riparian wetland plants including reeds, i.e., Xanthium strumarium, Phragmites australis, Schoenoplectus corymbosus, Ruppia maritime; Populus canescens, Polygonum salicifolium, Cyperus congestus; Persicaria amphibian, Ficus carica, Artemisia schmidtiana, Eichhornia crassipes, were studied to determine their susceptibility to PFOA accumulation from PFOA contaminated riparian sediment with a known PFOA concentration, using liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). The bioconcentration factor (BCF) indicated that the plants affinity to PFOA accumulation was; E. crassipes, > P. sali-cifolium, > C. congestus, > P. x canescens, > P. amphibian, > F. carica, > A. schmidtiana, > X. strumarium,> P. australis, > R. maritime, > S. corymbosus. The concentration of PFOA in the plants and/or reeds was in the range 11.7 to 38 ng/g, with a BCF range of 0.05 to 0.37. The highest BCF was observed in sediment for which its core water had a high salinity, total organic carbon and a pH which was near neutral. As the studied plants had a higher affinity for PFOA, the resultant effect is that riparian plants such as E. crassipes, X. strumarium, and P. salicifolium, typified by a fibrous rooting system, which grow closer to the water edge, exacerbate the accumulation of PFOA in riparian wetlands.
authors.forename: J B N
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Mudumbi
authors.forename: S K O
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Ntwampe
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Muganza
authors.forename: J O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Okonkwo
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D002210:Caprylates / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry; D019684:Magnoliopsida / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry; D013019:South Africa; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D053833:Wetlands
chemical_list: D002210:Caprylates; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C023036:perfluorooctanoic acid