Genotypic variation and mechanism in uptake and translocation of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) cultivars grown in PFOA-polluted soils

The cultivation of crop cultivars with low pollutant accumulation is an important strategy to reduce the potential health risks of food produced from polluted soils. In this study, we identified three loose-leaf lettuce cultivars with low accumulation of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a highly toxic and persistent organic pollutant. PFOA concentrations in the shoots of low-PFOA cultivars were 3.7–5.5-fold lower than those of high-PFOA cultivars. The identification of low-PFOA cultivars could contribute to ensuring food safety despite cultivation in highly polluted soils (1 mg/kg) based on the tolerable daily PFOA intake (1.5 μg/kg/d). We detected lower desorbing fractions of PFOA in rhizosphere soil, lower bioconcentration factors, and higher distribution in the cell walls and organelles of roots in low-PFOA cultivars, all of which are key factors in limiting PFOA uptake and translocation from soil to shoots, than in high-PFOA cultivars. This study reveals the mechanism of PFOA uptake from soil to crop and lays a foundation for establishing a cost-effective strategy to plant crops in polluted soil and reduce exposure risk due to persistent organic pollutants in crops. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.