Trifluoroacetic acid: a pressing need for human biomonitoring, chronic toxicity assessment, and epidemiological research

On May 26, 2025, the German Federal Office for Chemicals (BfC) officially classified trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) as a substance with reproductive toxicity and very persistent and very mobile (vPvM) properties, and submitted the corresponding classification proposal to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). Drawing on current evidence, this commentary examines the primary anthropogenic sources of TFA, synthesizes toxicological findings from mammalian studies, and reports the current state of human exposure. Currently, driven by continuous emissions from various anthropogenic sources, environmental concentrations of TFA have been steadily increasing. This widespread environmental exposure has directly led to the prevalent detection of TFA in human. Although the acute toxicity of TFA is relatively low, its ability to accumulate in human body fluids and its potential to bind to proteins collectively constitute long-term health risks that cannot be overlooked. However, data on the toxicological mechanisms of long-term TFA exposure, and epidemiological evidence remain very limited. In this context, we call for stricter regulation of such highly persistent substances while prioritizing research on human biomonitoring, chronic toxicity assessment, and epidemiological research of TFA and other short-chain PFAS, thereby providing scientific support for developing effective environmental control strategies.