Levels and distribution of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in Three Gorges Reservoir, China

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were investigated in water, sediments, suspended sediments and biofilms in Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR), China. Results showed that dissolved bioavailable PBDEs in water of TGR collected with semipermeable membrane device (SPMD)-based virtual organisms (VOs) were very low in the range of n.d. to 811 pg/g lipid and the detected compounds were mainly low molecular BDEs such as BDE-15, 17, 28, 47, 49, 66, 99 and 100. The PBDE levels in the sediment core collected near the dam were also very low in the range of 84–300 pg/g dw and the detected compounds were mainly large molecular BDEs such as BDE-196, 197, 206, 207 and 208. In suspended sediments and biofilms, the levels of PBDEs ranged from 298 to 52,843 pg/g dw and the detected compounds were also mainly large molecular BDEs such as BDE- 196, 197, 201, 203, 206, 207, 208 and 209. The dominant compound was BDE-209 which accounted for more than 90% of the total BDEs. Therefore, large molecular BDEs tended to be attached on fine particles. The vertical profile of BDEs on suspended sediments (SS) showed that SSs in the middle depth of water contained high level of BDE-209. The phenomenon indicated that most of BDE-209 did not settle into the sediment in front of the dam, instead transported further to downstream