Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent environmental pollutants that pose significant challenges to ecosystems and agriculture due to their bioaccumulation and potential toxicity. While extensive research has focused on PFAS uptake and toxicity in plants and animals, their interactions with soil fungi, such as saprotrophic fungi and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), remain unexplored. Saprotrophic fungi contribute to nutrient cycling and may participate in contaminant degradation, whilst AMF play a crucial role in plant health by enhancing nutrient and water uptake, improving stress tolerance, and modifying soil conditions. This study investigates how PFAS affects the ability of fungi to grow in PFAS contaminated conditions and the extent to which they can accumulate and transform PFAS. Furthermore, the influence of AMF on the PFAS uptake and distribution in its host and its influence on plant health under PFAS exposure will be assessed.
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