Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Risk Assessment of Phthalate Esters in Baiyangdian Lake and Typical Rivers in China

Researchers assessed phthalate ester contamination in Baiyangdian Lake and surrounding rivers in China, finding widespread distribution of these endocrine-disrupting chemicals at concentrations that pose ecological risks to aquatic organisms, particularly during warmer seasons.

2023 Toxics 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Phthalate esters in the Largest River of Asia: An exploration as indicators of microplastics

Researchers conducted the first investigation of phthalate ester (PAE) pollution throughout Yangtze River sediments, finding 14 of 16 PAE types at all sites with concentrations related to urbanization and industrial activity, and explored their potential as chemical proxy indicators for microplastic pollution patterns. Strong correlations between PAEs and microplastic distribution suggest that PAEs could serve as soluble chemical tracers for microplastic contamination in large river systems.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution and risks of microplastics and phthalate esters in the transition from inland river systems to estuarine and nearshore regions of the Yellow Sea, China

Researchers mapped the distribution of microplastics and phthalate chemicals across rivers, estuaries, and nearshore waters of the Yellow Sea in China. They found that pollution levels were highest in upstream urban areas and decreased toward more rural downstream zones, with fibers and polyethylene being the most common types. The study highlights how inland human activity drives microplastic and chemical contamination that eventually reaches the ocean.

2025 Marine Environmental Research 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and spatial distribution of phthalate esters in sediments of the Bohai and Yellow seas

Six phthalate esters were measured in sediments of the Bohai and Yellow seas, with sum concentrations averaging 9.1 ng/g and DEHP as the dominant compound (median 3.77 ng/g), with highest concentrations in coastal areas near industrial activity. The study provides baseline data on phthalate distribution in two important semi-enclosed Chinese seas and identifies associated risks to marine organisms.

2018 The Science of The Total Environment 95 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution characteristics and relationship of microplastics, phthalate esters, and bisphenol A in the Beiyun River basin of Beijing

Researchers measured microplastics, phthalate esters, and bisphenol A in the Beiyun River basin of Beijing and found that all three pollutants were present in both water and sediment, with higher levels near urbanized areas. The pollutants were positively correlated with each other, meaning where one was high, the others tended to be high as well. This matters because phthalates and BPA are known hormone disruptors, and microplastics may be helping to transport and concentrate these harmful chemicals in waterways that affect human communities.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Phthalates in Surface Waters of the Selenga River (Main Tributary of Lake Baikal) and Its Delta: Spatial-Temporal Distribution and Environmental Risk Assessment

Researchers measured levels of phthalate chemicals in the Selenga River, which supplies about half of all water flowing into Lake Baikal. They found that phthalate concentrations peaked during high-water periods and were highest near urban and industrial areas. The study indicates that these endocrine-disrupting chemicals pose an environmental risk to one of the world's most important freshwater ecosystems.

2024 Water 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and distribution of several endocrine-disrupting chemicals in a chemical park: exploring the health risks of multiple pollutants

Researchers measured 28 endocrine-disrupting chemicals — including triclosan, bisphenols, and phthalates — in soil, sediment, and sludge from the Yangkou Chemical Industrial Park, finding widespread contamination and assessing associated ecological and human health risks.

2023 Journal of Environmental Exposure Assessment 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic risk assessment in surface waters: A case study in the Changjiang Estuary, China

Researchers assessed microplastic risk in surface waters of the Changjiang Estuary, finding measurable contamination and identifying this major river delta as a significant source and pathway for microplastic transport into coastal marine environments.

2018 Marine Pollution Bulletin 676 citations
Article Tier 2

Levels of Phthalates, Bisphenol-A, Nonylphenol, and Microplastics in Fish in the Estuaries of Northern Taiwan and the Impact on Human Health

Researchers analyzed 600 fish from five river estuaries in northern Taiwan for endocrine-disrupting chemicals and microplastics. They found phthalates, bisphenol-A, nonylphenol, and microplastics across all sampling sites, with contamination levels varying by location and fish species, and estimated the potential human health implications from consuming these fish.

2021 Toxics 73 citations
Article Tier 2

Analysis of the Spatial Distribution Characteristics of Emerging Pollutants in China

Researchers mapped the spatial distribution of four types of emerging pollutants in China's water environment, including microplastics, endocrine disruptors, brominated flame retardants, and perfluorinated compounds. They found that pollution levels correlate with regional economic development, with the Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta, and Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region showing significantly higher contamination. The study provides a reference framework for emerging pollutant prevention and control across China.

2023 Water 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and correlation of microplastics and dibutyl phthalate in rivers from Pearl River Delta, China

Researchers surveyed rivers in the Pearl River Delta and found correlated occurrences of microplastics and dibutyl phthalate (DBP), with plasticizer release from microplastics identified as a significant source of DBP contamination in riverine environments.

2023 Marine Pollution Bulletin 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Endocrine-Disrupting Compounds: An Overview on Their Occurrence in the Aquatic Environment and Human Exposure

This review examines how endocrine-disrupting compounds, including plastic-derived chemicals like phthalates and bisphenol A, accumulate in water sources worldwide. Researchers found these substances are now detectable even in drinking water, raising concerns about human exposure through the food chain. Several studies have linked exposure to these chemicals with reproductive and metabolic health issues, though more research is needed to fully understand the risks.

2021 Water 233 citations
Meta Analysis Tier 1

A global meta-analysis of phthalate esters in drinking water sources and associated health risks

This meta-analysis examined phthalate levels — chemicals that leach from plastics — in drinking water sources around the world. Several phthalates exceeded safe limits in certain regions, posing potential health risks including hormone disruption and cancer, especially with long-term exposure.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 176 citations
Article Tier 2

Contaminant occurrence, distribution and ecological risk assessment of phthalate esters in the Persian Gulf

This study measured phthalate esters, chemicals commonly used as plastic softeners, in water samples from the Persian Gulf and assessed their ecological risk. Several phthalate compounds were detected at levels that pose potential risks to aquatic organisms. These chemicals are classified as endocrine disruptors and possible carcinogens, and since they leach from microplastics in water, their presence highlights how plastic pollution can introduce harmful chemicals into marine environments and the seafood supply.

2023 PLoS ONE 31 citations
Article Tier 2

Characteristics and Health Risks of Phthalate Ester Contamination in Soil and Plants in Coastal Areas of South China

Researchers investigated phthalate ester contamination across 37 sites in coastal South China, finding widespread contamination in both soil and plants with concentrations posing potential health risks, particularly from the plasticizers DEHP and DBP.

2022 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Phthalate esters in municipal sewage treatment plants: occurrence level, removal rate and optimum combination technology

This study monitored five types of phthalate plasticizers in the wastewater treatment plants serving China's Chaohu catchment across seasons, finding them present in all influent samples and at higher concentrations in summer. Removal rates varied widely by compound and treatment stage, and no single technology reliably eliminated all five phthalates. Since phthalates are endocrine-disrupting chemicals that leach from plastics, understanding their fate in sewage treatment is critical for protecting both downstream water bodies and human health.

2023 Frontiers in Environmental Engineering 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence, spatial distribution, and main source identification of ten bisphenol analogues in the dry season of the Pearl River, South China

Researchers detected ten bisphenol analogues in surface water from China's Pearl River, finding that BPA and BPS together accounted for 68% of total bisphenol load and tracing their sources to domestic wastewater, treatment plant effluent, and microplastic leaching, with combined estrogenic activity posing low-to-medium environmental risk.

2022 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 61 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrences of organophosphorus esters and phthalates in the microplastics from the coastal beaches in north China

Researchers investigated organophosphorus esters and phthalates associated with microplastics collected from 28 coastal beaches across the Bohai and Yellow Sea in northern China, finding that these plastic-associated chemical pollutants may transfer to organisms via plastic ingestion.

2017 The Science of The Total Environment 176 citations
Article Tier 2

PAEs and PBDEs in plastic fragments and wetland sediments in Yangtze estuary

Researchers quantified phthalates (PAEs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in plastic fragments and wetland sediments from the Yangtze Estuary, finding ΣPAE concentrations of 26.8-4241.8 µg/g and ΣPBDE concentrations up to 250.1 µg/g in plastic samples, confirming that plastic debris acts as a reservoir for these hazardous additives in estuarine environments.

2020 Journal of Hazardous Materials 80 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and distribution of phthalate esters and microplastics in wastewater treatment plants in Taiwan and their toxicological risks

Researchers analyzed phthalate esters and microplastics across 17 wastewater treatment plants in Taiwan, finding the highest plasticizer concentrations in sewage treatment plants and correlations between microplastic abundance and phthalate levels, with associated toxicological risks.

2022 Chemosphere 27 citations
Article Tier 2

Phthalate esters and nonylphenol concentrations correspond with microplastic distribution in anthropogenically polluted river sediments

Researchers measured phthalate esters, nonylphenol, and microplastics in river sediments and found that their concentrations were highest near residential areas. The distribution of these chemical pollutants closely corresponded with microplastic abundance, suggesting that microplastics may serve as carriers for these harmful substances. The study indicates that sediments near populated areas face compounding contamination from both plastic particles and the chemicals associated with them.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 22 citations
Article Tier 2

International Comparison, Risk Assessment, and Prioritisation of 26 Endocrine Disrupting Compounds in Three European River Catchments in the UK, Ireland, and Spain

Researchers monitored 26 endocrine-disrupting compounds across three European river catchments in the UK, Ireland, and Spain, finding widespread contamination by plasticizers and other EDCs with varying risk levels depending on local urbanization patterns.

2023 Molecules 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence of phthalate esters and microplastics in urban secondary effluents, receiving water bodies and reclaimed water treatment processes

Researchers simultaneously investigated phthalate ester and microplastic occurrence in four wastewater treatment plants, receiving water bodies, and reclaimed water treatment processes across winter and spring seasons, detecting four phthalate types at total concentrations of 568.9 to over 1,800 ng/L. The study found that both contaminant classes persisted through treatment processes and were discharged into receiving water bodies.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 70 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluation of occurrence, fate and removal of priority phthalate esters (PAEs) in wastewater and sewage sludge by advanced biological treatment, waste stabilization pond and constructed wetland

Phthalate ester concentrations were measured in wastewater and sludge at treatment plants using biological treatment, waste stabilization ponds, and constructed wetlands, with results showing that phthalates were incompletely removed and that constructed wetlands performed comparably to conventional treatment for some compounds. The study highlights phthalates as persistent endocrine-disrupting contaminants that escape routine wastewater treatment processes.

2022 Chemosphere 49 citations