Perchlorate is a persistent inorganic pollutant, which can interfere with iodide uptake by the thyroid gland and consequently affect how the thyroid functions. With the development of precise and sensitive detection methods, perchlorate has been found in different kinds of environmental media. And the widespread of its environmental pollution has caused much concern. Recent researches indicate that perchlorate in the environment not only comes from man-made pollution sources and some fertilizer but also has its atmospheric origin, and a natural perchlorate background should exist. The most recent research progress of pollution status and analytical methods of perchlorate and the mechanisms of perchlorate formation in the atmosphere are introduced. Then it is suggested that studies of background value of perchlorate in the environment should be carried out. Therefore, it is urgent to develop analytical methods with much lower detection limits. And due to the geographic advantages of Antarctica, researches on perchlorate in Antarctic ice and snow should be carried out, which will provide perchlorate background value at different historical periods and also influencing factors on the background value. Thus the valuable data for the investigation on the mechanisms of perchlorate formation in the atmosphere will be provided. 