Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans and polychlorinated biphenyls in sediments and aquatic organisms from the Taihu Lake, China

Sediments at 16 sites and muscles of four aquatic species collected in Taihu Lake were analyzed for polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) by HRGC/HRMS. The concentrations of total PCDD/Fs, PCBs and WHO-TEQ were 120.1–1315.1 pg/g dw, 889.7–29747.8 pg/g dw, and 0.83–17.72 pg TEQ/g dw, respectively in sediments; and those in muscles were 5.49–35.84 pg/g ww, 1517.10–27647.98 pg/g ww, and 0.52–3.83 pg TEQ/g ww respectively. The concentrations of PCDD/Fs and PCBs in the sediments were decreasing gradually along the water flow. The pollution levels were compared with other studies and the possible sources were discussed.