Articles | Volume 25, issue 23
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-18157-2025
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-18157-2025
Research article
 | 
16 Dec 2025
Research article |  | 16 Dec 2025

Trifluoroacetate (TFA) in precipitation and surface waters in Switzerland: trends, source attribution, and budget

Stephan Henne, Florian R. Storck, Henry Wöhrnschimmel, Markus Leuenberger, Martin K. Vollmer, and Stefan Reimann

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Cited articles

Adlunger, K., Anke, J. M., Bachem, G., Banning, H., Biegel-Engler, A., Blondzik, K., Braun, U., Eckhardt, A., Gildemeister, D., Hilliges, F., Hoffmann, G., Jentzsch, F., Klitzke, S., Kuckelkorn, J., Martens, K., Müller, A., Pickl, C., Pirntke, U., Rechenberg, J., Sättler, D., Schmidt, U., Speichert, G., Warnke, I., Wehner, J., and Wischer, R.: Reducing the input of chemicals into waters: trifuloroacetate (TFA) as a persistent and mobile substance with many sources, Tech. rep., UBA – Umweltbundesamt, https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/publikationen/reducing-the-input-of-chemicals-into-waters (last access: 24 February 2025), 2021. a, b
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Short summary
We observed the persistent, man-made trifluoroacetate (TFA) in precipitation and surface waters. Atmospheric simulations attributed TFA to precursor gases in the atmosphere. Although recently increasing concentrations could be followed, gaps in the budget indicate limited understanding of the atmospheric degradation of widely used fluorocarbons. Without additional regulation, environmental TFA concentrations are expected to rise strongly, necessitating continued monitoring and risk assessment.
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