Trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) is a persistent degradation product of widely used fluorinated compounds such as hydrofluorocarbons, hydrofluoroolefins, hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and hydrochlorofluoroolefins. Its chemical stability, water solubility, and environmental persistence raise concerns about potential human and ecological risks. To provide an overview of current knowledge on TFA, we conducted a literature search (PubMed and Scopus, December 2024–January 2025) focusing on its environmental fate, human exposure, toxicokinetic, ecotoxicology, and regulation. A narrative approach was applied, prioritizing recent and high-quality evidence. TFA is ubiquitous in air, water, food, and consumer products. Human exposure occurs mainly through ingestion and inhalation. It is rapidly absorbed and excreted mostly unchanged in urine, with limited metabolic transformation. Though not bioaccumulated in fat, its environmental persistence and ongoing exposure raise concerns about long-term systemic effects. Ecotoxicological data show chronic toxicity in aquatic and terrestrial species, with environmental concentrations often exceeding safety thresholds. Currently, no binding EU limit exists for TFA, although several countries have proposed drinking water guidelines. TFA represents an emerging environmental contaminant with potential human health and ecological impacts. Strengthened monitoring, long-term toxicological studies, and precautionary regulatory action are urgently needed.

Air emissions from livestock farming, particularly ammonia (NH₃) and particulate matter (PM_2.5 and PM₁₀), constitute a major environmental and occupational health concern. The aim of this work was to assess the compliance with the Verification of Environmental Technologies for Agricultural Production (VERA) protocol in livestock emission monitoring studies and to propose the Adherence VERA Index (AVI) as a novel quantitative tool for standardizing methodological evaluation. A literature search was conducted in PubMed and Scopus, identifying 26 eligible studies published between January 2012 and June 2025. Data were extracted on farm characteristics, analytical methods, environmental variables, and emission outcomes, and evaluated across the five VERA protocol domains. The review revealed substantial methodological heterogeneity and overall suboptimal compliance with the VERA protocol, with frequent deficiencies in the reporting of key parameters such as ventilation rate, sampling strategy, and emission estimation methods. In this context, the AVI, by condensing core VERA requirements into a concise and operational metric, may facilitate protocol uptake and improve reporting compliance compared with the full VERA framework. Notably, several studies reported NH₃, PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ concentrations exceeding occupational and environmental exposure thresholds, particularly in swine and poultry farms, highlighting critical risks to workers’ health. These findings underscore the need for enhanced standardization, integration of occupational health metrics, and improved air quality monitoring to ensure reliable exposure assessment and to safeguard both environmental and worker health in the livestock sector.

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), particularly those receiving hemodialysis (HD), may be more vulnerable to exposure to micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) and bisphenol A (BPA) because of impaired renal clearance and frequent contact to plastic-based medical devices. This study aimed to assess and compare the levels of blood MNPs and urinary BPA in HD patients, non-dialysis CKD patients, and healthy subjects with a focus on sex-related differences and the potential role of hemodialysis as an additional source of exposure. A cross-sectional human biomonitoring study was conducted. Blood and urine samples were collected to quantify BPA using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and MNPs using scanning electron microscopy coupled with an Energy-Dispersive X-ray Detector (SEM-EDX). Descriptive statistics included medians, interquartile ranges (IQRs), 95% confidence intervals, frequencies, and percentages. Blood MNP levels were higher in HD [9889 (4525–14,939) p/mL] and non-dialysis CKD patients [9234 (3354–15,429) p/mL] than in healthy subjects [5755 (2488–9042) p/mL]. Urinary MNP levels were also higher in non-dialysis CKD patients [1231 (0–8281) p/mL] than in healthy subjects [411 (0–1636) p/mL]. Urinary MNPs were smaller in non-dialysis CKD patients than in healthy subjects. In contrast, urinary BPA levels were lower in non-dialysis CKD patients [0.16 (0.12–0.16)] than in healthy subjects [0.98 (0.60–2.36)]. Sex-specific patterns were observed. Females had higher blood MNP levels than males among HD patients (median 9907 vs. 9063 p/mL) and healthy subjects (6627 vs. 4131 p/mL), whereas the opposite pattern was observed in non-dialysis CKD patients (10,083 vs. 7340 p/mL). Overall, these findings suggest an increased systemic burden of MNPs and altered BPA elimination in non-dialysis CKD and HD patients. The observed sex-specific patterns suggest that biological sex may contribute to differences in internal exposure within this vulnerable population.