Understanding
the mechanisms underlying perfluoroalkyl
acids (PFAAs)
translocation, distribution, and accumulation in wheat–soil
ecosystems is essential for agricultural soil pollution control and
crop ecological risk assessment. This study systematically investigated
the translocation of 13 PFAAs under different iron and nitrogen fertilization
conditions in a wheat–soil ecosystem. Short-chain PFAAs including
PFBA, PFPeA, PFHxA, and PFBS mostly accumulated in soil solution (10.43–55.33%)
and soluble extracellular polymeric substances (S-EPS) (11.39–14.77%)
by the adsorption to amino- (−NH2) and hydroxyl
(−OH) groups in dissolved organic matter (DOM). Other PFAAs
with longer carbon chain lengths were mostly distributed on the soil
particle surface by hydrophobic actions (74.63–94.24%). Iron–nitrogen
amendments triggered (p < 0.05) soil iron–nitrogen
cycling, rhizospheric reactive oxygen species fluctuations, and the
concentration increases of −NH2 and −OH in
the DOM structure. Thus, the accumulation capacity of PFAAs in soil
solution and root EPS was increased. In sum, PFAAs’ translocation
from soil particles to wheat root was synergistically reduced by iron
and nitrogen fertilization through increased adsorption of soil particles
(p < 0.05) and the retention of soil solution
and root EPSs. This study highlights the potential of iron–nitrogen
amendments in decreasing the crop ecological risks to PFAAs’
pollution.