Pesticides linked to ‘forever chemicals’ in groundwater

A study by the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (Geus) for the Danish Environmental Protection Agency has indicated that pesticides approved for use in Denmark might contribute to PFAS substances contaminating groundwater. After discovering trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), a persistent PFAS compound, in numerous groundwater wells in 2020, the study examined seven pesticides. It was found that all the investigated pesticides decompose into TFA in soil samples. The Danish Society for Nature Conservation (DN) calls for an immediate ban on these pesticides, with DN President Maria Reumert Gjerding labeling TFA as a ‘ticking bomb’ for future drinking water supplies. Bettina Ørsnes Larsen from the Environmental Protection Agency noted that a review is needed to decide on regulatory action, which depends on whether TFA from pesticides exceeds the threshold in groundwater. The agency anticipates a clearer understanding of the study’s implications by early next year.