# Assessment of Bioactive Surfactant Levels in Selected Cereal Products
## 1 Introduction  
Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are purely synthetic organic compounds that have been produced and used since the 1950s. In general, PFASs are aliphatic substances in which some or all hydrogen atoms have been replaced by fluorine atoms (polyfluorinated or perfluorinated, respectively) [1]. Their chemical structure makes them highly resistant to most methods of degradation, especially thermal, chemical, and microbial (biochemical) [2]. Thus, PFASs have been declared persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Due to their amphiphilic features, which result from the combination of PFAS molecules' polar and non-polar structures, PFASs demonstrate low aqueous surface tension and the property of associating with both water and oil phases. As a result of their widespread use in household and industrial commodities, as well as their high persistence and good water solubility, PFASs are spread quickly through the environment, wildlife, and humans [3, 4]. Many investigators confirmed that PFASs accumulate at different levels of the trophic web. Therefore, they may pose a significant risk both for plants that accumulate high PFAS concentrations and also for humans due to the dominant negative biological activity. Some scientific reports indicate the over-generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in plants upon PFAS exposure [5, 6]. Thus, PFAS-contaminated plants may display hypersensitive symptoms at physiological, biochemical, and molecular levels, causing the loss of biomass, disorders of the cellular system, and metabolic anomalies [7]. These pollutantsenter the human body and accumulate preferentially in the liver and lungs, but their presence has also been confirmed in the brain, bone, kidney, and serum [8; 9]. Consumption of PFAS-contaminated agricultural products could perturb some life processes by their biological activities in human cells. PFASs' toxicity is associated with a number of harmful health effects, including cancer and developmental and reproductive damage [10]. Cereals and cereal products are staple foods in the everyday human diet [11]. They consist of carbohydrates (75%) and protein (6-15%), thus providing a major proportion of dietary energy and nutrients [12]. Scientific findings indicate that the inclusion of cereals and their derivatives in the diet could supply folate, dietary fiber, proteins, B-group vitamins, and some minerals, such as iron, manganese, and zinc [13; 14; 15]. Moreover, the consumption of wholegrains is preferential as they are more beneficial and improve the quality of the diet. These nutrient-dense foods may be described as contributors to lipids, vitamin E, and other minerals (e.g., Ca, Mg, K, P Na) [16]. Currently, global consumption of cereals is projected to grow at 1.2% a year over the period under consideration in the OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2021-2030 [17]. After fruits and vegetables, consumption of this group of foodstuffs was highest, which is in good agreement with the Pyramid of Healthy Nutrition and Physical Activity recommendations [18]. Globally, many PFASs have been found in a wide range of environmental and biological matrices, such as ambient air [19], soils and sediments [20], surface waters and groundwaters [21], wastewaters [22], and biota [23]. Therefore, these substances have been indicated in many edible plant species, including fruits and vegetables or agricultural crops [24; 25; 26; 27]. The main sources of PFASs in the environment are considered to be industries that produce and use them [28], effluents from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) [29], sewage sludge used as a soil conditioner [30], leaches from landfills [31], waters close to fire-training locations and airports [32], and field irrigation with contaminated waters [33]. In general, organic substances may enter plant tissues via the roots and foliar uptake from soil/water and the atmosphere, respectively [34].