Phytoremediation evaluation of forever chemicals using hemp (Cannabis sativa L.): Pollen bioaccumulation and the risk to bees.

Wright, T; Crompton, M; Bishop, D; Currell, G; Suwal, L; Turner, BD

Phytoremediation evaluation of forever chemicals using hemp (Cannabis sativa L.): Pollen bioaccumulation and the risk to bees.

Wright, T Crompton, M Bishop, D Currell, G Suwal, L Turner, BD

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Publisher:: Elsevier BV
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Chemosphere, 2025, 370, pp. 143859
Issue Date:: 2025-02

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Wright, T
dc.contributor.author	Crompton, M
dc.contributor.author	Bishop, D
dc.contributor.author	Currell, G
dc.contributor.author	Suwal, L
dc.contributor.author	Turner, BD
dc.date.accessioned	2025-01-28T06:46:42Z
dc.date.available	2024-11-28
dc.date.available	2025-01-28T06:46:42Z
dc.date.issued	2025-02
dc.identifier.citation	Chemosphere, 2025, 370, pp. 143859
dc.identifier.issn	0045-6535
dc.identifier.issn	1879-1298
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/184428
dc.description.abstract	Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), often termed "forever chemicals," are a diverse group of persistent fluorinated compounds, including the well-known perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), which has been identified as lethal to bee larvae. However, the risk of PFAS exposure through pollen, a bee's primary food source, has not been thoroughly investigated. In controlled greenhouse experiments, Cannabis sativa L. (hemp) plants were cultivated in soil contaminated with eight PFAS compounds. Phytoremediation potential was assessed by measuring bioconcentration factors (BCF) in both the total above-ground biomass and pollen. The study found that BCF for total PFAS in hemp pollen was significant (>20.8), with over 45% of the total PFAS uptake of around 3248 μg/kg concentrated in the pollen. Based on these figures, the estimated daily intake (EDI) of PFOS for western honeybees (Apis mellifera) was found to be about 124.5 μg/kg body weight per day. These findings underscore a critical global threat to pollinator health, with significant implications for agriculture and biodiversity.
dc.format	Print-Electronic
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	Elsevier BV
dc.relation.ispartof	Chemosphere
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.143859
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject.classification	Environmental Sciences
dc.subject.classification	Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
dc.subject.mesh	Bees
dc.subject.mesh	Pollen
dc.subject.mesh	Animals
dc.subject.mesh	Cannabis
dc.subject.mesh	Soil Pollutants
dc.subject.mesh	Biodegradation, Environmental
dc.subject.mesh	Bioaccumulation
dc.subject.mesh	Fluorocarbons
dc.subject.mesh	Alkanesulfonic Acids
dc.subject.mesh	Animals
dc.subject.mesh	Bees
dc.subject.mesh	Cannabis
dc.subject.mesh	Pollen
dc.subject.mesh	Alkanesulfonic Acids
dc.subject.mesh	Fluorocarbons
dc.subject.mesh	Soil Pollutants
dc.subject.mesh	Biodegradation, Environmental
dc.subject.mesh	Bioaccumulation
dc.title	Phytoremediation evaluation of forever chemicals using hemp (Cannabis sativa L.): Pollen bioaccumulation and the risk to bees.
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	370
utslib.location.activity	England
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology/School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/UTS Groups
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/UTS Groups/Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater (CTWW)
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.rights.license	This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.date.updated	2025-01-28T06:46:41Z
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	370

Abstract:

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), often termed "forever chemicals," are a diverse group of persistent fluorinated compounds, including the well-known perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), which has been identified as lethal to bee larvae. However, the risk of PFAS exposure through pollen, a bee's primary food source, has not been thoroughly investigated. In controlled greenhouse experiments, Cannabis sativa L. (hemp) plants were cultivated in soil contaminated with eight PFAS compounds. Phytoremediation potential was assessed by measuring bioconcentration factors (BCF) in both the total above-ground biomass and pollen. The study found that BCF for total PFAS in hemp pollen was significant (>20.8), with over 45% of the total PFAS uptake of around 3248 μg/kg concentrated in the pollen. Based on these figures, the estimated daily intake (EDI) of PFOS for western honeybees (Apis mellifera) was found to be about 124.5 μg/kg body weight per day. These findings underscore a critical global threat to pollinator health, with significant implications for agriculture and biodiversity.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/184428