Effectiveness and mechanism of plant purification of nutrients and perfluoroalkyl acids in simulated river water under microplastic stress

Yi-Xi Liu ¹, Yi-Li Wang ¹, Guo-Hao Wang ²

⁰School of Arts Design, Zhejiang Tongji Vocational College of Science and Technology, Hangzhou, China.

International Journal of Phytoremediation +

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October 21, 2025

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

Four aquatic plants effectively remove total nitrogen, total phosphorus, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) from water, even with microplastic pollution. Microplastics slightly reduce removal efficiency.

Area Of Science

Environmental Science
Aquatic Ecology
Bioremediation

Background

Microplastic pollution is a growing concern in aquatic ecosystems.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), including PFOA and PFOS, are persistent environmental contaminants.
Aquatic plants are potential agents for removing pollutants from water bodies.

Purpose Of The Study

To evaluate the efficacy of four aquatic plant species in removing total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) from simulated river water.
To investigate the impact of microplastic stress on the removal capabilities of these plants.
To understand the plant uptake and accumulation mechanisms of PFOA and PFOS.

Main Methods

Hydroponic experiments were conducted using simulated river water.
Four plant species (*Pontederia cordata*, *Canna indica*, *Myriophyllum verticillatum*, and *Vallisneria natans*) were exposed to TN, TP, PFOA, and PFOS under varying microplastic conditions.
Removal rates, plant uptake, and accumulation in roots were analyzed.

Main Results

All four plant species demonstrated significant removal of TN (57.1–80.0%), TP (48.5–67.6%), PFOA (42.0–68.5%), and PFOS (48.0–85.3%).
*Pontederia cordata* showed the highest removal for TN and TP, while *Myriophyllum verticillatum* excelled in PFOA and PFOS removal.
Microplastic stress marginally decreased the removal efficiency of all target pollutants (3.9–7.2%), with PFOS accumulation being greater in plant roots than PFOA.

Conclusions

Aquatic plants, particularly *P. cordata* and *M. verticillatum*, are effective in removing TN, TP, PFOA, and PFOS from contaminated water.
While microplastics slightly impede bioremediation, they do not negate the plants' pollutant removal capacity.
These findings highlight the potential of phytoremediation for managing complex aquatic pollution scenarios involving nutrients and persistent organic pollutants.

Keywords:

Perfluoroalkyl acids phytoremediation simulated river water