A colorless compound long assumed harmless because it comes from plants is quietly moving through rivers, tap water, and wastewater systems around the world. Scientists reviewing the scattered evidence on pyrogallol now warn that its natural origin has shielded it from the regulatory scrutiny applied to synthetic pollutants, even as laboratory studies reveal it can damage the organs, immune systems, and reproductive health of fish and invertebrates through oxidative stress. The deeper problem is not only what the chemical does, but how little we have looked: field measurements of real-world ex
Natural plant chemical pyrogallol poses overlooked risks to aquatic life
Potential occupational health risks identified for workers with inhalation or skin contact exposure, though human toxicokinetics data remain incomplete.