Environmental contamination on the Earth - PFAS chemicals and a new acid rain

                                                          Nature (c) 

Science journal Nature has published further evidence of the pervasive impact of PFAS chemicals in the environment with the detection of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) across the world in lakes, rivers, bottled water, beer, cereal crops, animal livers, human blood, urine and so on. It's been found in leaves and needles from trees in Germany, Canadian Arctic ice cores and ground water in Denmark. The concentration levels of TFA are rising with concerning increases being five to ten-fold in plants in some countries as one consequence. The graph above from Nature illustrates the increase. 

TFA is being distributed around the world through rain and snow. Wherever it rains, TFA comes with the water. 

TFA is a defined as a 'forever chemical'  as natural processes cannot break the strong carbon-fluorine bonds, a charcteristics of many of the PFAS substances. What is not clear is the health and environment impact on living things on the planet from the long term exposure to this chemical. Other PFAS chemicals have already been found to be carcinogenic. Continuing surveillence is warranted.