Tracking Trifluoroacetate (TFA) through Time: A 78-Year Record from Archived Wines

Area of Science:

• Environmental Chemistry
• Contaminant Analysis
• Food Safety

Background:

• Trifluoroacetate (TFA) is a persistent, globally distributed environmental contaminant.
• Long-term data on TFA contamination trends are limited, hindering comprehensive risk assessment.
• Wines serve as a valuable historical archive for tracking environmental contaminant accumulation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct the first long-term retrospective analysis of TFA concentrations in archived wines.
• To establish historical trends of TFA contamination from 1946 to 2024.
• To investigate the global distribution and increasing levels of TFA.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of TFA concentrations in a 78-year series of archived wines from Baden, Germany (1946-2024).
• Inclusion of complementary samples: organic wines, international wines (20 countries), fruit juices, and nectars.
• Statistical analysis to identify significant trends and correlations with precursor emissions.

Main Results:

• No detectable TFA levels were found in wines prior to 1970.
• A significant upward trend in TFA concentrations was observed, with a pronounced increase from 2010 onwards.
• Peak TFA levels reached 260 μg/L in Baden wines, and up to 620 μg/L in recent international wines.
• Observed TFA trends correlate with specific TFA precursor emissions, including refrigerants, propellants, and pesticides.

Conclusions:

• TFA contamination in wines has demonstrably increased over the past decades, reflecting growing environmental presence.
• The global distribution and rising levels of TFA highlight the urgent need to assess its long-term effects on ecosystems and human health.
• Archived wines provide a crucial historical record for monitoring persistent environmental contaminants.