Microbial Community Composition in Soils Contaminated with Perfluoroalkyl Substances

Amplicon-based metagenomics of soils treated with PFOA and its short-chain substitute PFBA showed significant alterations in microbial communities. High PFAS levels were associated with reduced microbial richness. Predominant bacterial groups, including Firmicutes, Acidobacteria, and Proteobacteria, remained abundant across all treatments, while genera such as Clostridium, Bacillus, and Nitrospira persisted even under high PFAS exposure. These findings suggest that certain soil microbes can tolerate PFAS, highlighting both the potential ecological impacts of contamination and the opportunity to harness resilient microbial populations for future bioremediation strategies.