Researchers found that pairing the yellow flag iris (Iris pseudoacorus L.) with an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (Rhizophagus irregularis) enhanced wetland-like removal of PFAS in greenhouse trials. AMF-treated plants removed about 10–13% more individual PFAS compounds and promoted conversion to smaller, less toxic byproducts. Published in Environmental Science & Technology, the study suggests this plant–fungus duo could inform constructed wetlands and low-cost wastewater treatments, though field testing is still needed.
Wetland Plant–Fungus Pairing Boosts Removal of 'Forever Chemicals' from Water
Researchers found that pairing the yellow flag iris (Iris pseudoacorus L.) with an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (Rhizophagus irregularis) enhanced wetland-like removal of PFAS in greenhouse trials. AMF-treated plants removed about 10–13% more individual PFAS compounds and promoted conversion to smaller, less toxic byproducts. Published in Environmental Science & Technology, the study suggests this plant–fungus duo could inform constructed wetlands and low-cost wastewater treatments, though field testing is still needed.
01:58 PM, 11/16/2025Environment
Plant and fungus team up to cut PFAS in wetland-like systems
Researchers report that a partnership between a wetland plant and a soil fungus improves removal and breakdown of PFAS — persistent, so-called "forever chemicals" — in greenhouse-scale wetland simulations. The work, led by Bo Hu and Feng Zhao and reported via the American Chemical Society, appears in Environmental Science & Technology.
What they tested: The team studied the yellow flag iris (Iris pseudoacorus L.), a moisture-loving wetland plant, together with an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF), Rhizophagus irregularis. Experiments used small, wetland-like systems in greenhouses to mimic natural conditions and exposed the plants to PFAS-contaminated water.
Key findings: Plants exposed to PFAS showed physiological stress and reduced growth. When inoculated with AMF, the plants recovered better and grew more robustly. The plant–fungus pairing removed roughly 10–13% more of individual PFAS compounds compared with plants without the fungus and also promoted the transformation of PFAS into smaller, less toxic breakdown products in the outflowing water.
"Our study shows that a type of fungus (Rhizophagus irregularis) boosts wetlands' ability to remove PFAS and greatly reduces the environmental risks from 'forever chemicals' left in the outflowing water," said Bo Hu in the ACS report.
Why this matters: PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are widely used synthetic chemicals that are slow to degrade and can accumulate in the environment and people. Exposure has been linked to health effects such as higher cholesterol, reduced vaccine responses in children, and elevated cancer risks. Low-cost, nature-based treatment strategies that reduce PFAS in water could lower human exposures and protect public health.
Limitations and next steps: The reported improvements were observed in controlled greenhouse systems; the increase in removal (about 10–13%) is meaningful but modest. The authors note that field trials with real-world PFAS-contaminated wastewater and tests across different PFAS types and environmental conditions are necessary before scaling to constructed wetlands or wastewater treatment systems.
Bottom line: The iris–AMF partnership is a promising, sustainable enhancement to wetland-based PFAS remediation. It may inform design of constructed wetlands and other green technologies, but further field validation is required to confirm effectiveness and operational feasibility.