New publication in ChemRxiv finds rising trifluoroacetic acid concentrations in Austrian groundwater

Trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) is an extremely persistent and highly mobile substance that can accumulate in the environment. To investigate whether concentrations are changing, the researchers analysed official Austrian groundwater monitoring data from 2018-2019 and 2024. The analysis covered baseline measurements from ninety-eight sites, data from one hundred and seven sites in 2024, and sixteen sites sampled during both periods.

At all paired sites, TFA concentrations increased. The mean concentration rose from 1.36 to 2.86 micrograms per litre, an increase of 110 percent, while the median increased by 103 percent. Comparisons of the complete datasets also indicated a broader national upward trend. TFA concentrations were associated with nitrate and pesticide contamination, but not with other monitored PFAS. This pattern supports an agricultural contribution in the most affected regions, while not excluding other sources such as fluorinated gases. Because TFA is persistent and difficult to remove using conventional water treatment, limiting further emissions is important.

The study was co-led by Thilo Hofmann (EDGE | CeMESS the University of Vienna) and Helmut Burtscher-Schaden (GLOBAL 2000), with Angeliki Lyssimachou (PAN Europe), Mattias Öberg (Karolinska Institutet) and Hans Peter Arp (Norwegian Geotechnical Institute and NTNU Trondheim).