PBDEs, PCBs and PCDD/Fs in the sediments from seven major river basins in China: Occurrence, congener profile and spatial tendency.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) were extensively investigated in the sediment samples collected from seven major river basins around China. The concentrations were in the range of 0.05-6.15 × 10(4) ng g(-1) dry weight (dw), 0.29-21.7 ng g(-1) dw and 0.01-6.49 ng g(-1) dw for PBDEs, PCBs and PCDD/Fs, respectively. The concentrations showed wide variations among different river basins, while the congener profiles in all the sediments were generally characterized by only a few compounds, such as BDE-209, -99 and -47, CB-11 and -28, OCDD and OCDF, etc. The spatial analysis identified a decreasing trend of these persistent organic pollutants (POPs) from south to north China, consistent with regional industrialization. However, relatively higher level of POPs was also observed in the upstream of Yellow River Basin. The present study gives insight into the spatial occurrence of the three POPs in the major river basins in China.