Case study: Targeted HPLC-MS/MS analysis of TFA and other USC-PFAS in beverages and waters from Italy and Asia

Trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) is an ultra-short chain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS), persistent, highly soluble, and increasingly detected in the environment. This study reports the first systematic screening of TFA and other USC-PFAS in Italy, covering surface, mineral, spring and tap waters as well as alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. A total of 172 liquid samples were analyzed with a validated high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) method. Additional bottled tap and surface waters from China and Thailand were included for international comparison.

Among eight target analytes, only TFA was detected. In Italian waters, concentrations were generally low (0.10–2.02 μg/L; mean 0.39 μg/L), with slightly higher levels in well and surface waters. In contrast, beverages showed markedly elevated concentrations, especially wines (45–407 μg/L; mean 138.8 μg/L), with several red wines exceeding 300 μg/L. Furthermore, the analysis of several wine heritages showed an interesting increase in TFA concentration from 1997 to 2024.

These findings demonstrate a distinct contamination profile of TFA, likely linked to atmospheric deposition, and reveal unexpectedly and high accumulation in wines, suggesting dietary exposure routes beyond drinking water. The work supports the inclusion of TFA in PFAS monitoring and regulatory frameworks and provides a preliminary comparison with Asian regions, where Chinese waters showed higher levels (0.56–1.85 μg/L) and Thai waters were consistently below detection. Finally, the preliminary analysis on wine vintages shows an increase in TFA concentration during the years and paves the way to a future and more throughout systematic study on the increasing presence of TFA in this matrix.