What do mineral waters and a ‘forever chemical’ with a difficult-to-pronounce name like trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) have in common? Nothing, at least in an ideal world. Unfortunately, reality paints a different picture.
TFA is a very small and highly mobile, water-soluble chemical that does not degrade in nature. Its extreme mobility enables it l to penetrate and accumulate even in deep groundwater reserves. TFA is a so-called ‘forever chemical’ from the group of PFAS (per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances) and is a common stable degradation product from a large number of other PFAS, above all PFAS pesticides from agriculture and F-gases from refrigeration technologies. Over the last three decades, the spread of this forever chemical in the environment has dramatically increased. Today, TFA is found everywhere: in rainwater, rivers, soil, plants, food, tap water and even human blood. The measured concentrations are orders of magnitude higher than those we know from other PFAS, pesticides or their degradation products. According to leading scientists, TFA is a planetary boundary threat “because of increasing planetary-scale exposure, where potential irreversible disruptive impacts on vital earth system processes could occur.”[1]
Mineral Water, on the other hand, is defined by law as "originally pure". This means that it must originate from underground sources of water, which are assumed to be protected from all risks of pollution. This purity is not only a key quality feature but also a legal requirement. For consumers, mineral water symbolises pristine, natural purity. Mineral water should not be the subject of treatment. While springs should be protected against risks of pollution, mineral water companies may sometimes have limited influence on ensuring the protection of their water sources themselves. Moreover, they are reliant on the responsible authorities to consistently implement the water protection measures enshrined in EU water and pesticide legislation.
Our analysis shows with alarming clarity that the TFA contamination extends beyond surface and tap waters to groundwater and deep aquifers that supply mineral water and are trusted to be protected from human-made pollutants. In 7 out of 19 cases, the TFA contamination exceeds the drinking water limit value for relevant pesticide metabolites, which is 0.1 µg/l (100 ng/l). In one case, the upper limit for total PFAS ("total PFAS") of 0.5 µg/l (500 ng/l) proposed in the EU Drinking Water Directive is also exceeded. This limit is due to come into force in 2026, although it will not be implemented by all Member States.[2]
Nevertheless, each of the mineral waters tested - even the one with the highest measured contamination of 3,200 ng/l - complies with most of the current human health guideline values set by various authorities in the EU, even with a high daily consumption of 2 litres - calculated for a 60 kg adult.[3] Additionally, mineral water is less contaminated with TFA than tap water on average.