Pollution: TFA, the eternal pollutant that contaminates European waters

A study reveals “the largest known contamination of water on a European scale” by a very persistent chemical.
It is a small molecule that goes under the radar of the vast majority of European countries. However, the European Action Network against Pesticides, which published a report on Monday May 27, indicates that TFA or trifluoroacetic acid is found to be present and in high concentrations, in all water samples taken in 23 rivers and six European water tables.

TFA is part of the PFAS family, these eternal pollutants dangerous to health and nature. NGOs are calling for it to be banned. TFA comes from refrigerant gases from refrigerators or air conditioners. It is also found in nature after the degradation of several pesticides, herbicides and numerous PFAS, these eternal pollutants which cause cancer and malformations.

This molecule is widely present in European waters, according to Pauline Cervan, toxicologist from one of the NGOs in the PAN Europe network. “TFA alone represents 98% of the total PFAS that have been found. To my knowledge, there is nothing more persistent than TFA,” she emphasizes.

The concentrations found were on average 70 times higher than those of other PFAS. However, the vast majority of states do not monitor TFA in their waters because it is little known.


These products have been used since the 1950s in various industrial fields, such as fertilizers but also in everyday consumer products such as stoves or certain cosmetics. Exposure to PFAS is associated with certain cancers, endocrine disruptors, etc.