Austrian environmental NGO Global 2000 has detected traces of the “forever chemical” TFA (trifluoroacetic acid) in 14 out of 23 mineral and medicinal drinking waters tested across Austria.
This follows a Europe-wide investigation into TFA contamination, with the group now urging stricter regulations.
“Forever chemicals” are so called because they do not break down. TFA is a highly stable byproduct of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are used in products ranging from pesticides and textile coatings to firefighting foam and food packaging.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Helmut Burtscher-Schaden, an environmental chemist at Global 2000, called for a drinking water limit for TFA. However, the NGO reassured the public that mineral water remains safe to drink.
“The concentrations found here do not exceed any currently known health guidelines or limits for TFA,” the organisation said in its report. It noted that, compared with surface-level groundwater, the TFA levels in most tested mineral waters were within 50% of the lower limit. Mineral water from deep wells showed the least contamination. “Mineral water from a deep source, which is well protected by a geological barrier, generally has little or no TFA contamination,” said Burtscher-Schaden.
The report also found that shallower sources are more likely to mix with TFA-contaminated groundwater, with intensive farming practices exacerbating the issue.
According to the Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), a study by the German Federal Environment Agency (UBA) revealed average TFA levels in precipitation to be 0.335 mg/L.
Burtscher-Schaden also pointed out that around 16% of pesticides used in Austria contain PFAS. In response, Global 2000 is calling for a ban on PFAS-based pesticides. The UBA study found TFA levels in farming regions to be significantly higher—1.66 mg/L—compared to areas with less agriculture, where the average is 0.67 mg/L.
The Austrian Ministry of the Environment introduced an action plan last year to reduce “forever chemicals” in the environment. Meanwhile, the European Commission is set to impose restrictions on certain PFAS chemicals from 2024.
