"But atmospheric scientists have now calculated that the new products have unintentionally spread 335,500 tonnes of toxic 'forever chemicals' around the world. Studies have already indicated that this persistent 'forever chemical', called trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), is harmful for humans. It has been detected in human blood and urine, and experts recently proposed that it be classified as potentially toxic to human reproduction."
"Scientists behind the study, published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, used 'chemical transport' modelling, which simulates how chemicals move about and change in the atmosphere. They found that large amounts of TFA was being produced by the breakdown of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which are now used in refrigeration, as well as chemicals used as inhalation anaesthetics. TFA production from these sources increased 3.5-fold between the years 2000 and 2022, they discovered."
Chemical transport modelling shows large-scale atmospheric breakdown of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and certain inhalation anaesthetics generates widespread trifluoroacetic acid (TFA). A cumulative 335,500 tonnes of TFA have been produced and dispersed globally, with production from these sources increasing 3.5-fold between 2000 and 2022. TFA is persistent in the environment and has been detected in human blood and urine; it is proposed as potentially toxic to human reproduction. Modelling indicates that almost all TFA present in the Arctic originates from these CFC replacement chemicals, demonstrating long-range transport and global contamination.
#trifluoroacetic-acid-tfa #hcfcs-and-hfcs #persistent-forever-chemicals #atmospheric-transport-modelling
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