Chemicals introduced to help repair and protect Earth's ozone layer may have created an unexpected environmental problem. According to a new study, some of the substances that replaced ozone damaging chemicals are now responsible for spreading large amounts of a persistent "forever chemical" across the globe.
Researchers led by Lancaster University estimate that CFC replacement chemicals and certain anesthetics caused about a third of a million tonnes (335,500 tonnes) of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) to be deposited from the atmosphere onto Earth's surface between 2000 and 2022.
The findings suggest the problem is still growing. Because some of these replacement chemicals remain in the atmosphere for decades, TFA pollution is expected to continue increasing. Scientists estimate that annual TFA production from these sources could peak at some point between 2025 and 2100.
What Is TFA and Where Does It Come From?
The study, published in Geophysical Research Letters, used advanced "chemical transport" modeling to track how chemicals move through the atmosphere, react with other substances, and eventually settle back to Earth.
