Effect of Co-exposure to Additional Substances on the Bioconcentration of Per(poly)fluoroalkyl Substances: A Meta-Analysis Based on Hydroponic Experimental Evidence

A consensus has yet to emerge regarding the bioconcentration responses of per(poly)fluoroalkyl substances under co-exposure with other additional substances in aqueous environments. This study employed a meta-analysis to systematically investigate the aforementioned issues on the basis of 1,085 published datasets of indoor hydroponic simulation experiments. A hierarchical meta-analysis model with an embedded variance covariance matrix was constructed to eliminate the non-independence and shared controls of the data. Overall, the co-exposure resulted in a notable reduction in PFAS bioaccumulation (cumulative effect size, CES =  − 0.4287, p < 0.05) and bioconcentration factor (R² = 0.9507, k < 1, b < 0) in hydroponics. In particular, the inhibition of PFAS bioconcentration induced by dissolved organic matter (percentage form of the effect size, ES_P =  − 48.98%) was more pronounced than that induced by metal ions (ES_P =  − 35.54%), particulate matter (ES_P =  − 24.70%) and persistent organic pollutants (ES_P =  − 18.66%). A lower AS concentration and a lower concentration ratio of ASs to PFASs significantly promote PFAS bioaccumulation (p < 0.05). The bioaccumulation of PFASs with long chains or high fluoride contents tended to be exacerbated in the presence of ASs. Furthermore, the effect on PFAS bioaccumulation was also significantly dependent on the duration of co-exposure (p < 0.05). The findings of this study provide novel insights into the fate and bioconcentration of PFAS in aquatic environments under co-exposure conditions.