Trifluoroacetic acid, or TFA for short, is almost ubiquitous: wherever there is water, TFA can now be found too.
TFA is primarily formed as a breakdown product of fluorinated compounds, such as fluorinated gases, which are widely used as refrigerants in heat pumps, air conditioning systems and refrigerators, for example. When these fluorinated gases enter the atmosphere, they are chemically altered by UV radiation and converted into TFA. However, fluorinated compounds are also used in plant protection products and medicines, and TFA can also be produced from these. TFA is very persistent and highly water-soluble and can accumulate in the environment over many years. TFA is therefore often referred to as a ‘forever chemical’.
No health effects at present
Although TFA can be detected in food and drinking water, the levels currently measured do not pose a health risk according to current scientific knowledge. Humans primarily ingest TFA through food and drinking water. Due to its water solubility, TFA is excreted from the human body very quickly.
The problem with this “forever chemical” is its longevity. This means that its residues in the environment continue to accumulate. Measures have therefore been taken to reduce potential impacts and protect future generations.
Measures in Austria and Europe
Measurement, monitoring and surveillance programmes have been running in Austria for several years to gain an overview of potential TFA contamination in food and water.
TFA is widely detectable in both groundwater and surface waters in Austria. Test results enable the authorities to investigate the causes of any anomalies and, where necessary, take appropriate action.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) are currently working on a joint assessment of the behaviour and fate of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) in soil and water. There are currently no EU limits for TFA in food and drinking water.
In 2025, the European Commission issued a recommendation to carry out monitoring of TFA in food, on the basis of which corresponding monitoring of plant-based foods is currently being carried out in Austria. A final assessment is not yet available.
An Austria-wide monitoring programme for TFA in drinking water was already carried out in 2025: of the 331 drinking water samples, TFA was detected in 307 samples (corresponding to 93%) at concentrations above the limit of quantification of 0.1 µg/l. The highest concentration measured was 6.03 µg/l. By way of comparison: the German Federal Environment Agency has derived a health guideline value of 60 µg/l and points out that a concentration of 10 µg/l or less of TFA in drinking water should be aimed for. In Denmark, a limit value of 9 µg/l for TFA in drinking water has been set.
In the agricultural sector, the first bans on active ingredients in plant protection products that release TFA are already in place. The ban on the active ingredient flufenacet in 2025 alone will significantly reduce future TFA inputs from plant protection products.
The PFAS restrictions planned at European level will help ensure that fewer TFA-forming substances are released into the environment in Europe in future.
