Fluoroalkylether Compounds Affect Microbial Community Structures and Abundance of Nitrogen Cycle-Related Genes in Soil-Microbe-Plant Systems

In this study, we set up a soil-microbe-plant system using Carex comosa (longhair sedge). The soil was exposed to three representative ether-PFAS individually, namely GenX, ADONA, and F-53B. These alternatives to PFOS and PFOA were selected since they have been increasingly released to the environment with their rising production and usage. Using metagenomics and quantitative PCR techniques, this study quantitatively assessed the change of microbial community structures and functions (focusing on nitrification and denitrification) in response to ether-PFAS exposure. This study aimed to bridge the knowledge gap with respect to effects of ether-PFAS on soil microbial communities.