There's A Forever Chemical That's In Your Water, Food, And Blood — And Levels Are “Increasing Irreversibly”

Trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) is everywhere. A growing body of evidence is showing that this human-made compound may be the most prolific “forever chemical” in the environment. It's found in the organs of animals, the leaves of trees, the water you drink, house dust, and the rain that falls from the sky. There’s a good chance it’s currently pumping around your blood this very second. 

TFA belongs to a class known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), notorious for their resistance to degradation and ability to linger in the environment. PFASs are often nicknamed "forever chemicals" because they do not easily break down in the environment or the human body thanks to the carbon–fluorine bonds in their molecular structure, known as the strongest covalent bond in organic chemistry.

Just like most PFAS, TFA is also highly soluble in water, a useful trait that allows it to spread through natural systems with ease.

Some researchers, including those tied to big industry, have previously argued that TFA can form naturally, but scientists largely agree there is insufficient evidence that this is the case. It enters the environment primarily through human activity, mainly as a breakdown product of other PFAS used in manufacturing, industrial processes, and pesticides.

A major source is fluorinated gases, or F-gases, that are used for cooling in fridges, air conditioners, and cars, as well as some medical devices like asthma inhalers. Ironically, these gases were developed to replace the use of CFCs, which were the prime cause of the ozone hole above Antarctica.

Studies from across the world have documented a sharp rise in TFA in recent years. In a comprehensive review published in Environmental Science & Technology, European scientists analyzed dozens of studies from around the world that analyzed TFA levels in rain, soil, human blood, plants, food, and drinking water.

They concluded that the planet’s exposure to TFA is “increasing irreversibly” and emissions of the forever chemical must be reduced “as soon as possible to protect future generations from potential irreversible effects.”

“Everywhere you look it’s increasing. There’s no study where the concentration of TFA hasn’t increased,” David Behringer, an environmental consultant with expertise in chemical pollutants, who was not directly involved in the study mentioned above, told the Guardian last year.

“If you’re drinking water, you’re drinking a lot of TFA, wherever you are in the world … China had a 17-fold increase of TFA in surface waters in a decade, the US had a sixfold increase in 23 years,” said Behringer.

The big question is whether TFA has a significant impact on human health. It’s well established that some forever chemicals are strongly associated with numerous health concerns. For instance, perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) is considered a possible carcinogen to humans, plus high exposure to this chemical has been linked to thyroid disease, liver damage, increased cholesterol levels, and testicular and kidney cancer.

However, the health implications for many PFAS – including TFA – are less clear. There have been serious suggestions that TFA should be considered a threat to human reproduction as it may affect fetal development and fertility, although solid evidence is currently lacking.

Nevertheless, some countries are starting to sound the alarm bell. In May 2025, Germany's Federal Office for Chemicals submitted a proposal to the European Union’s (EU) chemical regulator to officially classify TFA as a reproductive toxicant under EU law.

It’s thought other countries, including the US, may follow suit in the next few years.

“It’s absolutely everywhere. TFA will be the next discussion in America, I can guarantee it. It will be about how should we treat it and what should we do,” Sarah Hale, an environmental researcher who manages ZeroPM, a project funded by the European Union, told E&E News.