Trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) is increasingly being detected in our environment and also in the water cycle. But where does TFA come from, why is the substance so long-lasting, and what does this mean for our drinking water?
The topic has been attracting attention for some time now. In July 2025, ARD also reported on rising TFA concentrations in drinking water and food.
However, TFA is not an entirely new topic: German authorities have been dealing with the substance for years. The German Environment Agency (Umweltbundesamt) points out that TFA is formed, among other things, as a degradation product of certain fluorinated substances, enters the water cycle via precipitation, and is very persistent there.
What actually is TFA?
TFA stands for trifluoroacetic acid or trifluoroacetate. The substance belongs to the large group of PFAS, i.e., per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.
Due to their specific properties, PFAS are used in numerous industrial applications. TFA can be created directly in certain industrial processes or enter the environment as a degradation product of other fluorinated substances.
Possible sources include, for example, certain plant protection products as well as fluorinated refrigerants and propellants.
The special thing about TFA:
- TFA is very stable and difficult to break down.
- The substance is highly mobile and can spread through the water cycle.
- TFA enters soils and bodies of water via precipitation, among other ways.
- Once TFA has entered the water cycle, removing it with proportionate means is currently difficult.
Therefore, TFA is frequently mentioned in connection with so-called "forever chemicals."
⚠️ What does TFA mean for health?
This is where a closer look is worth it.
German authorities are now critically evaluating TFA regarding its hazardous properties. The German Environment Agency describes TFA as environmentally critical and toxic to reproduction.
However, it is important to distinguish between hazard and actual risk.
A hazard classification does not automatically mean that every detected concentration in drinking water is harmful to health. The decisive factors include the amount ingested, the duration of exposure, and the respective concentration.
The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment points exactly to this distinction.
The topic remains relevant nonetheless: because TFA is persistent and is being detected increasingly in the environment. The German Environment Agency therefore sees a clear need to reduce the input of TFA into the environment.
💧 And what does that mean for our drinking water?
Germany has high standards for the quality of drinking water. At the same time, compliance with legal requirements does not mean that all conceivable trace substances are completely removed from the water.
With TFA, there is an additional particular challenge: the substance is very small, highly water-soluble, and extremely persistent.
The German Environment Agency currently states that there is no known method by which TFA can be removed from the entire water cycle using proportionate means.
For consumers, this means above all:
It is worth taking a closer look at the quality of your own drinking water.
In doing so, one should not assume across the board that German tap water is fundamentally contaminated. The German Environment Agency currently does not assume widespread PFAS contamination of German drinking water. At the same time, there are regional differences.
💎 Can a water filter reduce TFA?
This is precisely where the choice of filter technology becomes interesting.
Not every water filter can reduce the same substances. Activated carbon filters, reverse osmosis systems, and other filtration technologies differ in terms of their functionality and potential applications.
Those looking into the topic should therefore not only pay attention to terms like "water filter" or "multi-stage filtration," but specifically check:
- What filter technology is being used?
- Which substances can the system demonstrably reduce?
- Is there information regarding filter performance?
- How often do filters need to be changed?
- How is water quality ensured after filtration?
Especially with TFA, one should check concrete manufacturer specifications regarding proven reduction performance and not automatically assume that every water filter removes TFA.
💎 UrQuelle Diamant – multi-stage water treatment
One option for treating drinking water is the UrQuelle Diamant water filter system.
The system combines different filter stages for treating tap water and also features remineralization.
With this, UrQuelle pursues a holistic approach: filtration and subsequent mineralization of the water.
With our discount code NU, you receive a 3% discount on UrQuelle water filter systems as well as on energization and vitalization products.
🌿 UrQuelle OPAL – compact solution for beginners
Those who do not want to install an under-sink system can also take a look at the UrQuelle OPAL countertop filter.
The compact system can be used directly on the countertop and is particularly suitable for households looking for an uncomplicated way to treat their water.
🌍 TFA is an environmental problem – and will occupy us for a long time to come
TFA is an example of how long-lasting chemical substances can enter our water cycle through various pathways.
The German Environment Agency points out that TFA is persistent in the environment and is introduced into the water cycle via precipitation. A complete solution to the problem therefore does not lie solely with the consumer – the decisive factor is primarily reducing the creation and introduction of such substances into the environment.
Nevertheless, it can be sensible to engage with the quality of your own drinking water and the possibilities for water treatment.
Because those who know what is in their water can make more conscious decisions about how they want to handle it.
💧 Your drinking water examined more closely
Would you like to know what possibilities exist to filter and treat tap water?
Then you can find more information here:
👉 Water filters for home: Why clean drinking water is becoming increasingly important
👉 Buying a water filter – what should you really pay attention to?
👉 Tap water or bottled water – what is the better choice?
💙 UrQuelle water filter systems
With our discount code NU, you receive a 3% discount on UrQuelle water filter systems as well as on energization and vitalization products.
👉 Redirect to the official UrQuelle website.
Source & further information
ARD Plusminus: Report on TFA in drinking water and food, broadcast on 09.07.2025.
German Environment Agency (Umweltbundesamt): Information on TFA, PFAS, and entry into the water cycle.
German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR): Information on the health assessment of TFA.