A “forever chemical” that is suspected of damaging fertility has been found in rivers across England, including within areas that supply drinking water, data shared exclusively with The i Paper has revealed.
These are the first tests by the Environment Agency (EA) of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), an emergent chemical of concern amongst scientists due to its links to reproductive health issues.
TFA is a type of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS), a group of toxic, human-made compounds often referred to as “forever chemicals” because they can persist in the environment for thousands of years.
Scientists have raised concerns that levels of the toxic chemicals are set to increase, with one expert saying the EA results are among the worst sets of data he has seen.
The data obtained by Watershed and Unearthed, the investigative arm of Greenpeace UK, shows the EA detected TFA at the vast majority of an initial 99 sites tested in 2024.
There are currently no regulations limiting the level of TFA in water sources in the UK, however two fifths of water sites tested by the EA breached new limits set by the European Union.
‘TFA will be around for the next thousand years’
TFA has come under increased scrutiny by scientists and regulators in recent years due to concerns over how long it remains in the environment and its potential impact on human health.
While the true scale of this threat is still being researched, the European Chemicals Agency recently recommended TFA is classed as a presumed toxicant to reproductive health, meaning it may impair fertility or harm an unborn child. This classification is based on animal testing rather than human studies at this stage.
In response to these growing concerns the EA tested 50 surface water sites and 49 groundwater sites across England between March and July 2024 for TFA.
It found TFA present in all 50 surface water sites and 43 out of 49 groundwater sites. The highest reading was detected in groundwater near Finchingfield in North Essex, while the highest concentration in surface water was found in the River Ancholme in Lincolnshire.
The European Chemicals Agency recently recommended TFA is classed as a presumed toxicant to reproductive health (Photo: Getty Images/Moment RF)
At 40 per cent of the surface waters tested, TFA was above 2,200 ng/l, the level that would breach the EU’s new limit for PFAS in rivers and lakes if TFA were the only PFAS present.
Alistair Boxall, professor of Environmental Science at the University of York, who has carried out TFA testing in UK rivers, said the levels being found were not necessarily high enough to trigger health problems at this stage, but the “concerning” thing was that “the levels seem to be rising”.
TFA can be produced when some PFAS break down, meaning that some TFA found in our rivers is likely the legacy of pollution released decades ago.
“The TFA that is on the Earth today will be on the Earth for the next thousand years, and the TFA concentrations we see now are probably the lowest we’ll see in your lifetime,” said Professor Hans Arp, an expert on TFA at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and an expert on TFA. He said the results of the EA’s testing are among the worst sets of data he has seen.
The limited testing done in the UK to date shows TFA concentrations above European countries, including Germany and Sweden.
UK regulation lags behind
Certain pesticides are believed to be one the main sources of TFA pollution in the UK, as well as fluorinated gases that are used in cooling and refrigerant fluids.
The chemical makes its way into water courses through runoff from land and from the atmosphere. It can enter the human body through the food and water we consume, and has been found in fruit, vegetables, cereals and wine.
“This is the exact type of PFAS that we talk about raining down on us, going back into the hydrological cycle, being evaporated up and raining down. It’s irreversible,” said hydrologist Professor Patrick Byrne of Liverpool John Moores University.
The EU banned the herbicide flufenacet in 2025 due to concerns around its hormone-disrupting properties and TFA, however the herbicide is still widely used on crops including wheat and barley in the UK.
There are currently no regulations on TFA levels in drinking water across the UK. England’s drinking water regulator, the Drinking Water Inspectorate, is currently undertaking a research programme to understand the risks, the results of which are expected early next year.
Professor Boxall said there is limited information on TFA in UK drinking water, however the “consensus” in the scientific community is that the chemical is unlikely to be removed from water as part of the treatment process.
An Environment Agency spokesperson said: “We are taking action to improve our understanding of chemicals in the environment to protect our rivers, groundwater and drinking water catchments.
“This includes monitoring emerging evidence, including information on traces of chemicals in the environment, sources and potential impacts.”
