Global Spread of “Invisible Chemical Rain”

ScienceDaily reports that trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), a degradation product of fluorinated industrial chemicals originally developed to replace ozone-depleting substances, is causing widespread “invisible chemical rain” pollution worldwide. TFA is a persistent chemical that resists natural degradation. It permeates global water bodies, soils, and glaciers through rainfall, snowfall, and other precipitation, with detection confirmed even in the most remote regions. This substance accumulates persistently in the environment, potentially damaging ecosystems while posing long-term health risks to humans. Its full spectrum of long-term hazards remains to be fully elucidated.