Articles | Volume 30, issue 7
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-1969-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-1969-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
13 Apr 2026
Research article |
| 13 Apr 2026
| 13 Apr 2026
Diffuse sources of TFA: atmospheric and terrestrial inputs, retention and pathways at the catchment scale
Immanuel Frenzel
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Chair of Hydrology, University Freiburg i.Br., 79098 Freiburg, Germany
Dario Nöltge
Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University Freiburg i.Br., 79104 Freiburg, Germany
Finnian Freeling
Technologiezentrum Wasser, 76139 Karlsruhe, Germany
Michael Müller
Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University Freiburg i.Br., 79104 Freiburg, Germany
Jens Lange
Chair of Hydrology, University Freiburg i.Br., 79098 Freiburg, Germany
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Short summary
We studied trifluoroacetate (TFA) in a German river catchment. TFA from rain was not permanently retained in soils or plants and can be mobilized by heavy rain, meaning soils and plants may hold more TFA than rivers or rainfall indicate. In areas with precipitation input only, TFA served as a new tracer for determining actual evapotranspiration. The agricultural area showed higher TFA in surface and groundwater, suggesting that agriculture increases TFA pollution.
We studied trifluoroacetate (TFA) in a German river catchment. TFA from rain was not permanently...
