EU drinking water found to contain controversial 'forever chemicals'

A large sample of European drinking water has been found to have a substance linked to 'forever chemicals' used in pesticides and refrigeration.

A group of non-governmental organizations detected the presence of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) in bottled and tap water samples from 11 EU countries. 

This "was set in such a way that the consumption of drinking water only fulfills 20 percent of the tolerable daily intake," according to the European Pesticide Action Network (PAN Europe). 

The samples tested by the Water Technology Centre in Germany found TFA in 34 of 36 tap water samples and in 12 of 19 mineral and spring water bottles. 

Dangers of 'forever chemicals'

A major source of TFA is from degrading PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), a group of synthetic chemicals used in consumer products like synthetic pesticides and cooling gases in refrigeration and air conditioning. 

Over 9,000 different types of PFAS are used in everyday items like cosmetics, non-stick pans and fire extinguishers and can take centuries to break down. 

They have been widely used since the 1940s in a huge range of consumer products and industrial processes. In industry, they are used in metal finishing and plating, hydraulic fluids and semiconductor manufacturing.

Impact on humans

The possible impact of PFAS, and TFA in particular, on human health has been growing, but "surprisingly few toxicological studies are available," says PAN Europe. 

The findings follow an earlier study in May, also conducted by PAN Europe and its members, which found "alarming" levels of PFAS chemicals in Europe's rivers, lakes and groundwater. 

A recent study of rabbits and TFA exposuew found birth defects in offspring, raising serious concerns about the chemicals. 

Political pressure

An earlier decision to class TFA as "non-relevant" under EU pesticide regulations was "regrettable" considering its "toxicological profile still leaves many questions unanswered," PAN Europe's report from May stated. 

The network has since called for urgent interventions to address this "political failure," beginning with a "rapid ban" on PFAS pesticides and a rethink on the threat posed by individual chemicals like TFA.

The chemicals have a relatively low profile in the UK, but in the U.S. PFAs has become a household term. U.S. firms Dupont, Chemours and Corteva agreed to pay $1.2 billion to settle water contamination lawsuits concerning such chemicals last June.

In the U.S., the Environmental Protection Agency has created a list of over 120,000 locations where people may be exposed to PFAS.

In Europe, Denmark, Germany, Norway, the Netherlands and Sweden have signaled their intention to ban the manufacture of PFAS, most of their uses and their placement on the European market.

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