Assessment of Reed Grasses (Phragmites australis) Performance in PFAS Removal from Water: A Phytoremediation Pilot Plant Study

Abstract

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have multiple emission sources, from industrial to domestic, and their high persistence and mobility help them to spread in all the networks of watercourses. Diffuse pollution of these compounds can be potentially mitigated by the application of green infrastructures, which are a pillar of the EU Green Deal. In this context, a phytoremediation pilot plant was realised and supplied by a contaminated well-located in Lonigo (Veneto Region, Italy) where surface and groundwaters were significantly impacted by perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) discharges from a fluorochemical factory. The investigation involved the detection of perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) inside the inlet and outlet waters of the phytoremediation pilot plant as well as in reed grasses grown into its main tank. The obtained results demonstrate that the pilot plant is able to reduce up to 50% of considered PFAAs in terms of mass flow without an evident dependence on physico-chemical characteristics of these contaminants. Moreover, PFAAs were found in the exposed reed grasses at concentrations up to 13 ng g−1 ww. A positive correlation between PFAA concentration in plants and exposure time was also observed. In conclusion, this paper highlights the potential efficiency of phytodepuration in PFAS removal and recommends improving the knowledge about its application in constructed wetlands as a highly sustainable choice in wastewater remediation.