DoomsdaysCW<p>Scientists Are Warning of A Brand-New Kind of <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/AcidRain" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>AcidRain</span></a> </p><p>Story by Darren Orf</p><p>Key points:<br>- While acid rain caused by sulfur dioxide is an environmental threat of the past (at least, for now), a new kind of acid is proliferating in rain water—as well as groundwater, ice cores, and even human blood.<br>- <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/TrifluoroaceticAcid" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>TrifluoroaceticAcid</span></a> (<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/TFA" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>TFA</span></a>) is a subclass of “<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ForeverChemical" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ForeverChemical</span></a>” that’s been steadily increasing in concentrations around the world.<br>- With calls to consider this rise in TFA a planetary threat, some governments are starting ban chemicals linked to TFA—but the threat will require global cooperation.</p><p>"Acid rain may have a sequel, and like most sequels, it’s arguably worse. </p><p>"While the world’s first bout of acid rain (at least, in modern times) came from increased concentrations of sulfuric acid produced largely from coal plants, this new <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/anthropogenic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>anthropogenic</span></a> source is possibly more pervasive, more persistent, and more sinister. Its name is Trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), a kind of 'forever chemical' that, for decades, has been steadily increasing in <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/RainWater" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>RainWater</span></a>—but not just rain water.</p><p>"Countries around the world have found increasing concentrations in <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/groundwater" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>groundwater</span></a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ArcticIceCores" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ArcticIceCores</span></a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/wine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>wine</span></a>, and even <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/HumanBlood" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>HumanBlood</span></a>. In fact, TFA is likely the most pervasive form of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl (<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PFAS" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PFAS</span></a>)—technically, a subclass known as ultrashort-chain perfluoroalkyl acid (<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PFAA" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PFAA</span></a>)—on Earth due in part to the fact that longer-chain PFAS degrade into TFA via <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/incinerators" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>incinerators</span></a> or <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/SewageTreatment" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>SewageTreatment</span></a> plants. They’re also used in <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/refrigerants" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>refrigerants</span></a> instead of <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/chlorofluorocarbons" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>chlorofluorocarbons</span></a> and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/hydrochlorofluorocarbons" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>hydrochlorofluorocarbons</span></a>, which were famously known to deplete the Earth’s <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/OzoneLayer" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>OzoneLayer</span></a>.</p><p>"In October of 2024, a team of European environmental scientists raised the TFA alarm, stating that a rise in concentration could be considered a threat to '<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PlanetaryBoundaries" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PlanetaryBoundaries</span></a>' — a system designed to make sure the planet remains <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/habitable" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>habitable</span></a> for human life (which we are doing a real bang-up job at following).</p><p>" 'Since the 1990s, it has been suggested that hazard-related concerns of TFA and other short-chain PFAAs are much lower than those of PFAAs with longer perfluoroalkyl chains, which are more <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/bioaccumulative" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>bioaccumulative</span></a> and generally more <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/toxic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>toxic</span></a>,' the authors wrote back in October. 'However, these early reports did not consider TFA’s ubiquitous accumulation in the environment, in particular its observed accumulation in water resources and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/bioaccumulation" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>bioaccumulation</span></a> in various plants, including crops.'</p><p>"One of the most dangerous things about PFAAs is what we don’t know about them. Unlike other PFAS (of which there are, sadly, thousands of different kinds), TFA is so small (a.k.a. ultrashort) that it’s water-soluble, meaning it likely passes through the human body pretty quickly. A new Nature article reports that some scientists find this evidence compelling enough to not even consider TFA a kind of PFAS, but a growing chorus of voices are raising concerns that increased concentrations of TFA in water and food sources could render TFA’s fast-moving nature a moot point.</p><p>"In fact, TFA’s water-solubility could be a long-term headache. If scientists and governments eventually decide that TFA does need to be removed from drinking water and other sources, current filtration technologies are not up to the task. In other words, ridding the world of TFA will not only be immensely difficult, it’ll also be incredibly expensive. Current regulations to eliminate certain forms of PFAS are already proving to be fiscally onerous.</p><p>"Thankfully, some governments are taking action. <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Denmark" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Denmark</span></a>, for example, banned 23 substances earlier this month known to contain PFAS that contribute to rising TFA concentrations. Meanwhile, the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/US" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>US</span></a> is lagging behind—the Environmental Protection Agency [<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EPA" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>EPA</span></a>] doesn’t even define TFA as a 'forever chemical,' much to the dismay of <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/environmentalist" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>environmentalist</span></a> groups and to the merriment of many <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/industry" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>industry</span></a> leaders.</p><p>"Rising concentrations of TFA is the acid rain sequel no one wanted. But just like every terrible sequel ever made, it seems like we’re getting it anyway." </p><p><a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/scientists-are-warning-of-a-brand-new-kind-of-acid-rain/ar-AA1JhZaP?ocid=winp2fptaskbarhover&cvid=1f43e3736065441889cbebfb22a4eb74&ei=10" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">msn.com/en-us/travel/news/scie</span><span class="invisible">ntists-are-warning-of-a-brand-new-kind-of-acid-rain/ar-AA1JhZaP?ocid=winp2fptaskbarhover&cvid=1f43e3736065441889cbebfb22a4eb74&ei=10</span></a></p><p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WaterIsLife" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WaterIsLife</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Dupont" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Dupont</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/DowChemical" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>DowChemical</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/3M" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>3M</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ForeverChemicals" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ForeverChemicals</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EPACuts" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>EPACuts</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Deregulation" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Deregulation</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/TrumpSucks" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>TrumpSucks</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/USPol" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>USPol</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WorldPol" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WorldPol</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Environment" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Environment</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EnvironmentalDamage" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>EnvironmentalDamage</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/GenXChemicals" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>GenXChemicals</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/3MLied" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>3MLied</span></a></p>