A new study reveals that urban tributaries flowing through Wuhan are significant sources of phthalate esters, a widely used class of plastic chemicals, to the Yangtze River, highlighting previously underestimated risks to aquatic ecosystems in one of the world’s largest river systems.

Phthalate esters, often abbreviated as PAEs, are chemicals commonly added to plastics to make them flexible and durable. They are found in everyday products ranging from packaging and construction materials to personal care items and medical devices. Because these chemicals are not chemically bound to plastics, they can easily escape into the environment during use and disposal. Many PAEs are known to disrupt hormones and pose ecological risks, raising growing concerns about their presence in rivers and sediments.

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