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

Trifluoroacetate (TFA) is increasingly recognized as a persistent and globally distributed contaminant. Despite its widespread occurrence and formation from diverse precursors, long-term data on TFA contamination trends are scarce. We present the first long-term retrospective analysis of TFA concentrations in archived wines, drawing on a unique and nearly uninterrupted 78-year sample series (1946–2024) from a single winery in Baden, Germany. Complementary samples included organically produced wines from the same region, wines from 20 countries across five continents, and a variety of fruit juices and nectars. Our results reveal a marked and statistically significant rise in TFA concentrations, with no detectable levels prior to 1970, and a pronounced increase from 2010 onward, peaking at 260 µg/L in archived wines from Baden. This pattern aligns with trends relating to certain TFA precursor emissions in Germany, specifically TFA-forming refrigerants and propellants as well as C-CF3-containing pesticides. Recent international wines showed variable but generally high levels of TFA, reaching up to 620 µg/L. This highlights the increasing global environmental presence of TFA and the necessity of evaluating its potential long-term effects on ecosystems and human health.