Irrigation-introduced quinolone antibiotics activated the soil-water interface redistribution of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in paddy fields

Quinolone antibiotic pollution (QAP) introduced by irrigation may cause the release of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) at the soil-water interface in paddy fields, endangering the growth of rice crops and the security of human food sources. Thus, the comprehensive investigation of the joint and individual effects of quinolone antibiotics with environment-relevant concentrations on the soil PFASs migration were conducted. Results showed that the QAP dose of 1 μg/L had the highest activation for the release of PFASs into the overlying water, resulting in the highest net concentration of 99.32 μg/L. Structural equation modeling revealed that the QAP-mediated microbial adsorption was the hub transition for PFASs migration ( p  < 0.001). The PFASs re-partitioning after QAP was primarily driven by physicochemistry and nutrient cycling variations induced by QAP, which was facilitated by soil microbial urease and acid phosphatase. The soil microbial genes nasC , nasE , phnG , nasD , napD , phnA , nirK , nosZ , and nasB were identified as the critical regulators of PFASs migration under QAP by the aggregate boosted tree modeling. Molecularly, the soil microbial metabolisms of Galactosylglycerol and 3-beta-D-Galactosyl-sn-glycerol were responsible for PFASs release under the QAP level of 1 μg/L ( p  < 0.001). These findings were beneficial in elucidating the ecological risks of bioavailable PFASs in paddy fields subjected to the integrated pollution of quinolone antibiotics.