Trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) is an ultrashort‑chain perfluorinated carboxylic acid and part of the PFAS family, characterized by pronounced persistence and very high mobility in water. It is widely detected in surface water, groundwater, drinking water and food, where it can enter via contaminated water, atmospheric deposition, and degradation of precursor substances. Under the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD), PFAS are increasingly recognised as priority pollutants with TFA now explicitly included for surface waters in the EQS (environmental quality standard) limit for PFAS25 ((EU) 2026/805). Major environmental sources of TFA include the degradation of PFAS‑based pesticides (“PFAS pesticides”) and fluorinated refrigerant gases (F‑gases). Industrially, TFA is extensively used as a reagent, solvent and catalyst in pharmaceutical manufacturing, peptide synthesis and agrochemical production. Trifluoromethanesulfonic acid (TFMS, also known as triflic acid or TfOH) is another ultrashort PFAS receiving attention. TFMS is used as a powerful non‑oxidizing “superacid” catalyst and reagent in organic synthesis, pharmaceuticals and polymer chemistry as well as frequently used as a lithium-ion battery (LIB) electrolyte or additive.
Germany (Federal Office for Chemicals - BfC) last year (2025) submitted a proposal under the EU Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) Regulation to harmonise the classification of TFA as toxic for reproduction, category 1B, with the hazard statement H360df (may damage fertility and/or the unborn child). In parallel, German authorities propose classifying TFA as very persistent and very mobile (vPvM) and as PMT (persistent, mobile and toxic), reflecting serious concerns for long‑term protection of water resources. The dossier is based on toxicological data demonstrating reprotoxic effects in animal studies, together with clear evidence of environmental persistence and increasing concentrations in water bodies. In June 2026, the Risk Assessment Committee (RAC) at ECHA, following its scientific evaluation, recommended that TFA be classified in line with the proposal. The final opinion of ECHA is expected to be issued this autumn, before the European Commission decides on its inclusion in the CLP Regulation.
A CMR classification (e.g. H360) refers to substances that are carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic to reproduction, a group subject to particularly strict regulation due to severe chronic health effects. If confirmed, a CMR classification for TFA could trigger cascade effects across EU legislation, including REACH (e.g. potential SVHC listing), the Cosmetics Regulation and plant protection product approvals. Moreover, TFA – given its PFAS classification - is already covered by the requirements for food packaging in the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR; (EU) 2025/40) that bans all individual PFAS at or above 25 ppb, that came into force in Aug 2026. In addition to these developments, EFSA recently (July 2026) lowered the acceptable daily intake (ADI) for TFA by more than 70% to 0.014 mg/kg body weight/day.
Eurofins has analysed TFA and other ultrashort PFAS in a wide range of matrices—including water, food, beverages, soil and sediment—for more than three years alongside “regular” PFAS in materials and products. Building on this experience, Eurofins is now extending its analytical offer for ultrashort PFAS to materials such as paper and plastics, as well as products including cosmetics and waste. Two dedicated analytical packages will be introduced: one covering TFA only, and a second package covering TFA together with PFPrA, TFMS and PFEtS. For PFPrS, customers are referred to Eurofins’ regular material testing packages. If the sample is not of fine particle size or cannot be easily cut, an additional sample preparation step must be added. Reporting limit (LOQ) is 10 µg/kg for TFA and 1 µg/kg for other compounds. Delivery time (TAT) is 14 calendar days and optimal sample weight is 100g (minimum 50g).
| Materials, products and waste | Analytes | Package code |
| TFA in materials/products | TFA | PLWDD |
| Ultrashort PFAS in materials/products | TFA, TFMS, PFPrA, PFEtS | PLWDE |
CHEMtrust (consultation submission)