💧 Belgium: TFA Found in Bottled Water – First Field Survey Results Raise Concerns

A recent investigation by the Belgian media outlet Apache has revealed that three out of four bottled waters tested in Belgium contain TFA (trifluoroacetic acid)—a persistent and highly soluble PFAS compound. These findings raise new questions about the safety of everyday drinking water and the lack of current regulation for certain fluorinated substances.

🧪 A First-of-Its-Kind Survey

The study involved 15 sealed bottles, representing 13 Belgian producers, collected directly from supermarkets and distributors in Flanders. Analyses were conducted by an accredited laboratory, marking one of the first publicly available snapshots of TFA levels in Belgian bottled waters.

📊 What Did They Find?

• TFA was detected in 11 out of 15 samples
• Concentration levels ranged from 69 ng/L to 2,800 ng/L
• The highest level—2,800 ng/L—was found in Roman branded table water
• This figure is over five times higher than the upcoming EU limit of 500 ng/L for total PFAS, expected to include TFA starting in 2026

⚠️ Why This Matters

TFA is not a minor contaminant. It is often a degradation product of refrigerant gases and fluorinated pesticides. And although it doesn’t bioaccumulate like some PFAS, it is:

• 🧬 Extremely mobile – easily migrates through soils and groundwater
• 🧱 Highly persistent – it does not degrade naturally
• 💧 Resistant to treatment – cannot be effectively removed by standard water purification
• 🚫 Unregulated – no official limits currently apply to TFA in drinking water

🩺 What About Human Health?

Although TFA is already widespread in Europe’s hydrological systems, toxicological data is still limited. This regulatory vacuum, combined with its ubiquity, underscores the need for action from water regulators, scientists, and public health experts.

🔍 What Needs to Happen?

Researchers emphasize the urgency of:

• 📈 Expanding PFAS monitoring to include ultramobile substances like TFA
• 🧭 Tracing the origins of TFA in surface and groundwater
• 🔄 Integrating TFA into long-term water risk management frameworks

📚 Further Reading

• 📰 Read the full Apache investigation (FR)
• 📺 Media coverage: RTL – Journal du Médecin