Persistent organic pollutants in mangrove food webs in Singapore

In this study, persistent organic pollutants were quantified in sediments, subsurface seawater, sea-surface microlayer and twenty-four biota species collected at two separate mangrove habitats in Singapore. Data confirmed the ubiquity of POPs, including polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), in the marine environment of Singapore. A biomagnification phenomenon was observed amongst the species collected and analysed from both mangrove sites studied. Thunder crabs and fish displayed the highest POP levels. Congener profiles of PBDEs varied amongst mangrove biota species and suggested different metabolic pathways exist for flame retardants. Similarly, crab species showed an ability to metabolize chlordane insecticide.     

Contamination by polybrominated diphenyl ethers of sediments from the Lake Maggiore basin (Italy and Switzerland)

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are characterized by chemical properties and toxicological profiles similar to other POPs (persistent organic pollutants) included in the EU Priority Pollutant List (2455/01/CE). However, limited data have been available for these compounds thus far for Italian freshwater abiotic matrices. Lake Maggiore basin, a heavily industrialized and densely populated area, was selected for studying PBDE contamination in Italy. PBDEs and OCs (organochlorine compounds) in the basin were quantified by analysing both sediment cores collected in 2005 from the lake and grab samples from the main tributaries and the emissary. Fourteen PBDEs, from tri-BDE to hepta-BDE congeners and BDE209, were compared with some organochlorine POPs (PCBs and DDTs) characterizing Lake Maggiore basin contamination. Analyses of tri-to hepta-BDEs, PCBs and DDTs were undertaken by GC-MS/MS, while BDE-209 was analysed by GC/ECD. Results showed a dominant presence of BDE-209 (>95% of SigmaBDE) and limited amounts of BDE-47, BDE-99, BDE-100, BDE-153 and BDE-154. Lake core profiles highlighted a decreasing trend in PCB concentrations starting from the year 2000, while PBDEs showed greater concentrations after the beginning of the 1990s (up to 30 ng g(-1)d.w.). Among the tributaries, the Bardello and Boesio rivers were the most PBDE-contaminated (up to 290 ng g(-1)d.w.).     

Temporal variation and biomagnification of organohalogen compounds in finless porpoises (Neophocaena phocaenoides) from the South China Sea

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and organochlorine compounds (OCs) were determined in the blubber of male finless porpoises (Neophocaena phocaenoides) collected in 1990 and 2000/01 from the South China Sea. Among the organohalogen compounds analyzed, DDTs and PCBs were the predominant contaminants in the porpoises, ranging from 26,000 to 260,000 and 1400 to 28,000 ng/g lipid wt., respectively. PBDEs ranged from a minimum of 84 ng/g lipid wt., in 1990 to a maximum of 980 ng/g lipid wt., in 2001, showing a significant increase during the time period investigated. Congener profiles in finless porpoises did not shift to higher BDE congeners during these years, implying a continuous discharge of lower BDE commercial mixtures, such as PentaBDE. For OCs, HCHs concentrations decreased significantly, while others did not exhibit any significant temporal variation. Biomagnification factors (BMFs) were found to be highest for CHLs and lowest for HCB. PBDEs and PCBs had comparable BMFs, indicating a similar potential for biomagnification through the food web.     

Accumulation of organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls in sediments, aquatic organisms, birds, bird eggs and bat collected from South India

Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), DDT and its metabolites (DDTs), HCH isomers (HCHs), chlordane compounds (CHLs) and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) were determined in sediment, soil, whole body homogenates of resident and migratory birds and their prey items (including fish, green mussel, snail, earthworm, crabs, prawn, lizard and frogs), bird eggs and bats collected from southern India during 1995 and 1998. Accumulation pattern of organochlorines (OCs) in biota was, in general, in the order, HCHs > DDTs > PCBs > CHLs = HCB. Magnitude of OC concentrations increased in the order of sediments < green mussel < earthworm < from < lizard < fish < bird egg < bats < birds tissues. Biomagnification features of OCs were examined in resident and migrant birds to evaluate the exposure levels of these chemicals in wintering grounds of migrant birds. Accumulation of DDTs in migratory birds during wintering in India may be of concern due to the great biomagnification potential of DDTs. Eggs of some resident species contained noticeable concentrations of OCs. Concentrations of OCs in three species of bats analyzed in this study were lower than that found in passerine birds. In addition to OCs, butyltin compounds were also detected at low concentrations in bats.     

Solution by dilution?—A review on the pollution status of the Yangtze River

The Yangtze River has been a source of life and prosperity for the Chinese people for centuries and is a habitat for a remarkable variety of aquatic species. But the river suffers from huge amounts of urban sewage, agricultural effluents, and industrial wastewater as well as ship navigation wastes along its course. With respect to the vast amounts of water and sediments discharged by the Yangtze River, it is reasonable to ask whether the pollution problem may be solved by simple dilution. This article reviews the past two decades of published research on organic pollutants in the Yangtze River and several adjacent water bodies connected to the main stream, according to a holistic approach. Organic pollutant levels and potential effects of water and sediments on wildlife and humans, measured in vitro, in vivo, and in situ, were critically reviewed. The contamination with organic pollutants, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/polychlorinated dibenzofurans, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), and others, of water and sediment along the river was described. Especially Wuhan section and the Yangtze Estuary exhibited stronger pollution than other sections. Bioassays, displaying predominantly the endpoints mutagenicity and endocrine disruption, applied at sediments, drinking water, and surface water indicated a potential health risk in several areas. Aquatic organisms exhibited detectable concentrations of toxic compounds like PCBs, OCPs, PBDEs, and PFCs. Genotoxic effects could also be assessed in situ in fish. To summarize, it can be stated that dilution reduces the ecotoxicological risk in the Yangtze River, but does not eliminate it. Keeping in mind an approximately 14 times greater water discharge compared to the major European river Rhine, the absolute pollution mass transfer of the Yangtze River is of severe concern for the environmental quality of its estuary and the East China Sea. Based on the review, further research needs have been identified.     

Levels and distribution of organochlorine pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls and polybrominated diphenyl ethers in sediments and biota from the Danube Delta, Romania

Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), such as dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and analogues, hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) and hexachlorobenzene (HCB), were measured in sediments and biota (invertebrates, 11 fish species and cormorant tissues) collected in 2001 from the Danube Delta, the biggest European wetland. DDTs were the predominant pollutants in all samples. A high variability in the concentrations of pollutants within the same species was observed and this was related to sampling location, age, length and sex. DDTs were also the main organohalogenated contaminants in cormorant muscle and liver, followed by PCBs, HCHs, HCB and PBDEs. The present levels of DDTs in cormorant tissues are lower than levels measured in cormorant eggs sampled from the Danube Delta in 1982 and 1997, respectively. The variance of delta15N for herbivores was much greater than for carnivores, while carp and bream showed higher delta15N signatures than expected, probably due to a higher dietary proportion of benthos, typically more delta15N enriched relative to pelagic biota.     

Estrogenic activity associated with organochlorine compounds in fish extracts from European mountain lakes

Fish muscle extracts from ten European mountain lakes were analyzed for organochlorine compounds (OCs) and estrogenic activity, the latter by a recombinant yeast assay based on the human estrogen receptor. Seventy percent of the samples showed estrogenic activity above detection limits and a subset of five samples showed estrogenic activities, equivalent to more than 10,000 pg/g of estradiol. These highly estrogenic samples occurred in two lakes, Velké Hin?ovo in the Tatra Mountains and Redon in the Pyrenees. Principal component analysis correlated estrogenic activity of muscle extracts to fish age and concentrations of the more chlorinated polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs). This is consistent with previously observed correlations of these PCBs with fish age. In addition, most fish with high estrogenic activity were found in lakes containing high OC levels in the sediments, which gives further ground to atmospheric deposition of anthropogenic pollutants as main process leading to the observed endocrine disruption effects.     

Brominated flame retardants in Alburnus alburnus from Cinca River Basin (Spain)

Thirty-two bleak fish (Alburnus alburnus) from three places along the Spanish River Cinca, a tributary of Ebro River, were collected for polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) determinations. Sampling sites corresponded to up- and downstream from Monzon, a heavily industrialized town draining to the river. Four different PBDE congeners (BDE-47, -153, -154 and -183) and HBCD were found at levels ranging from not detected (nd) to 573 ng/g wet weight for total PBDEs and from nd to 1643 ng/g wet weight for HBCD. The lowest values were found upstream of the industrialized area. Concentrations in fish were compared with previous data in sediment samples collected at the same sampling sites, and large fish to sediment ratios for these brominated compounds indicate that they are highly bioavailable. Moreover, PBDE and HBCD concentrations are correlated with fish length and weight indicating the bioaccumulation of these contaminants.     

Nationwide monitoring of polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorine pesticides in sediments from coastal environment of Korea

To assess the organochlorine contamination in the Korean marine environment, a nationwide monitoring study was conducted. A total of 138 surface sediments, covering the whole Korean coast, were collected and analyzed. Organochlorine compounds (OCs) were widely distributed in the Korean coastal environment, with PCB and DDT contamination being particularly prevalent. The overall concentrations of PCBs, DDTs, HCHs, CHLs, and HCB in surface sediments were in the range of 0.088-199ngg(-1) (median value: 1.56ngg(-1)), 0.006-135ngg(-1) (0.68ngg(-1)), not detected (ND)-5.46ngg(-1) (0.32ngg(-1)), ND-3.26ngg(-1) (0.14ngg(-1)), and ND-2.59ngg(-1) (0.05ngg(-1)), respectively. The southeastern coast was found to be highly contaminated. Overall contamination status of Korean coastal sediments with regard to OCs is lower than that of USA. With the exception of highly industrialized sites, Korean coastal areas in general showed similar OC concentrations to those of other Asian countries. There was a significant correlation between distributions of most organochlorine contaminants with each other. OC contamination is closely related to shipping and industrial activities. Of the 7 sites categorized as highly polluted, 4 are in a harbor zone. Adverse effects to benthic communities are expected at the levels of OC contamination observed from harbor and industrial areas.     

Levels of polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorine pesticides in some edible marine organisms from the Central Adriatic Sea

Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCs) were found in tissue of marine organisms such as Mediterranean mussel, Norway lobster, red mullet, common cuttle-fish, European flying squid, European anchovy, European pilchard and Atlantic mackerel, coming from two sites along the Abruzzo coast of the Adriatic Sea. Species were selected due to their habitat, trophic level, feeding behaviour and their use in the Italian diet. Mussels, filter feeder and sedentary organisms, were used in order to test water pollution whereas Norway lobster and red mullet (benthic fish) were used in order to test sediment pollution. The concentration of ?PCBs exceeded that of ?OCs in the samples analysed. The highest concentrations of ?PCBs (1415 ng/g lipid weight) and ?OCs (507 ng/g lipid weight) were found in pilchard while the lowest concentrations of the same pollutants were found in cephalopods. Our results have shown that species such as anchovy, pilchard and mackerel, were the most polluted due to their location at the last level of the trophic chain. All samples contained different concentrations of PCBs and among these, congeners 153 and 138 were the most representative. Among the OCs, except for the cuttle-fish, the highest concentrations were found for p,p(')-DDE and p,p(')-DDD that are metabolite of DDT. The prevailing DDE presence, compared to DDT (high DDE/DDT ratio), suggested that the biotransformation rate of pollutants was very efficacious in fish and above all in crustaceans. Results have also been interpreted in terms of geographical distribution and organisms' biological cycle. None of the samples analysed exceeded the tolerance limits established by the OCs Italian legislation.     

First evidence of polybrominated diphenyl ether (flame retardants) effects in feral barbel from the Ebro River basin (NE, Spain)

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are chemicals of environmental concern due to their lipophilic, persistent and bioaccumulable characteristics as well as for their potential endocrine disrupting role. Former studies carried out in a tributary of the Cinca river (Ebro basin, NE Spain) revealed high levels of PBDEs in fish due to the discharges of effluents rich in PBDEs coming from a nearby industrial park in Barbastro. In this study, several biomarkers of pollutants exposure were measured in barbel, Barbus graellsii, before (upstream) and after (downstream) the main industrial site (Barbastro) in the Vero river. The results evidenced an enhanced hepatic phase I and II metabolism (measured as reductases, glutathione S transferase and uridinediphospho-glucuronosyltransferase), and of the antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase. Conversely, fishes collected from downstream reaches had their phase I CYP1A dependent ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase, antioxidant diaphorase and brain cholinesterase activities depleted. In addition, the histological study of the liver and kidney of these fish evidenced an increase of the number and size of macrophage aggregates in most individuals collected downstream. Bivariate correlated analyses showed that the above mentioned biomarkers were correlated to measured PBDE congeners, thus indicating that the observed biological effects were unlikely to be related to other environmental factors than PBDEs. Overall, the measured biochemical and histological markers provide new evidence that in field exposed fish, PBDEs levels were associated with high activities of phase I and II metabolic enzymes, oxidative stress in liver, neurotoxicity in brain and histopathological effects in both liver and kidney.     

Congener distribution of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in feral carp (Cyprinus carpio) from the Llobregat River, Spain

Feral carp were collected at two Spanish rivers, Anoia and Cardener, showing PBDE levels from 29 to 638 ng/g lipid weight (lw) and from 54 to 744 ng/g lw, respectively. Sediments were also collected, showing PBDE contamination between 2 and 10 ng/g dry weight (dw). Differences in PBDE profiles between sediments and fish were noticed. Contribution of BDE-47 in sediment was up to 11%, whereas it contributed 37-90% of PBDEs in fish. Similar results were observed for BDE-154, which was only detected in one sediment sample, but presented high contribution in carp. In contrast, BDE-99 contributed up to 32% in sediments, but it was not detected in fish. Similar results were observed for BDE-153, BDE-183 and BDE-209. The main reason for their concentration decrease or absence in biota may be due to low bioavailability potential or due to biotransformation processes.     

Halogenated persistent organic pollutants in deep water fish from waters to the west of Scotland

Halogenated persistent organic pollutants [polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs)] along with total lipid, were measured in the liver and muscle of three species of deep water fish (black scabbard, black dogfish (liver only) and roundnose grenadier) collected from the Rockall fishing area, to the west of Scotland, between 2006 and 2008. Both contaminant groups were detected in the muscle and liver, with concentrations of PCBs being higher than PBDEs. There were no significant differences in the PCB or PBDE concentrations between the three species, or different sampling locations in the Rockall fishing area. PCB concentrations (ΣICES (International Council for the Exploration of the Sea)7 PCBs) greater than 500 μg kg⁻¹ lipid weight were found in 26 of the 106 liver samples. PCB concentrations were compared to OSPAR assessment criteria, concentrations were above background but below Environmental Assessment Criteria. Estimated Toxic Equivalent (TEQ) concentrations, calculated using published models, in the fish muscle and liver indicated that consumption of deep water fish is unlikely to represent a risk to human health. The high squalene content in some of the black dogfish liver necessitated an additional clean-up step, involving gel permeation chromatography, when analyzing for PBDEs. Concentrations of PBDEs were low with many congeners being below detection limits, particularly in the muscle. There are currently no assessment criteria available for PBDEs. Furthermore, there is only very limited data on PBDEs in deep water fish. However, the concentrations observed in this study were similar to the concentrations recently reported in Mediterranean deep water fish.     

Chlorinated and brominated organic contaminants in fish from Shanghai markets: a case study of human exposure

In the present study were two favorite edible fish species for local residents, i.e., mandarin fish and crawfish, collected from the Shanghai market and analyzed for selected organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and methoxylated PBDEs (MeO-PBDEs). Efforts were also made to identify the potential sources of these contaminants. Comparable concentrations of hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs) and HBCDD were found in muscle tissue of mandarin fish from Guangdong (GDF), the Pearl River Delta and from Taihu Lake (TLF), the Yangtze River Delta. Levels of chlordanes, PCBs and PBDEs were about one magnitude lower in TLF compared to GDF. The concentrations of OCPs in the butter-like gland of the crawfish (CFB) were 2-5 times of those in the crawfish muscle (CFM) while concentrations of PCBs, PBDEs and MeO-PBDEs were comparable. The different patterns and levels of chlorinated and brominated organohalogen contaminants seen in mandarin fish from GDF and TLF indicates that different types of chemicals might be used in the two delta regions. The present study also shows a good correlation between the concentrations of hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and pentachloroanisol (PCA) in fish for the first time. Fish consumption limits based on chemical contaminants with non-carcinogenic effects were calculated. The estimated maximum daily consumption limit for GDF, TLF, CFM and CFB were 1.5, 2.6, 3.7 and 0.08 kg, respectively, indicating no significant risk regarding the persistent organic pollutants measured in the present study.     

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in fish and wastewater samples from an area of the Penobscot River in central Maine

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are one class of flame retardants commonly used in textiles, foams and plastics. They are similar in behavior to the well-studied polychlorinated biphenyls and growing evidence suggests they are widespread global environmental pollutants that are capable of bioaccumulation. Fish tissue samples were collected from sites along the Penobscot River in central Maine. The total concentration of tetra- to hepta-PBDEs in these samples were calculated and generally increased from upstream to downstream locations ranging from 800 to 1810 ng/g lipid at the northernmost site to 5750-29000 ng/g at the downstream sampling site. BDE-47, 99 and 100 were the predominant congeners found in the fish tissue. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are one of the potential sources of these compounds to the environment through effluent discharge and landspreading of biosolids. Influent, effluent, activated sludge and dewatered biosolids were collected and analyzed for PBDE congeners from a WWTP at Orono, Maine. PBDE congeners were detectable in effluent samples at concentrations from 0.31 to 0.90 microg/l, in the activated sludge at 1.32-3.8 microg/l and in the influent at 4.2-4.3 microg/l, but the majority of the material was concentrated in the biosolids. Total concentration in the biosolids was 2320-3530 microg/kg dry weight.     

Geographical distribution and accumulation features of PBDEs in human breast milk from Indonesia

The present study reports concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and organochlorines (OCs) in human breast milk from Indonesia covering urban, suburban and rural areas. PBDEs were detected in all the samples of the present study with total concentrations ranging from 0.49 to 13 ng/g lipid wt. Geographical distribution showed that concentrations of PBDEs were relatively uniform (p>0.05) and the levels were in the same order as those in Japan and some European countries, but were one or two order lower than North America. When compared to OCs, the level of total PBDEs was lower. The congener pattern was in accordance with other studies on human matrices, in which BDE-47 was the most abundant congener. Variations of PBDE congeners in human breast milk were further discussed to elucidate the potential exposure source(s) and pathways.     

Occurrence of persistent organic pollutants in sediments and biota from Portugal versus European incidence: A critical overview

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are widespread compounds, such as organohalogenated compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and pesticides, which can be found in all types of environmental compartments. Their presence in the aquatic environment is a worldwide problem, with emphasis on sediments which act as depository and consequently as a source of hydrophobic, recalcitrant and harmful compounds. Besides, these pollutants might affect the reproduction and mortality of living organisms, diverging in their potential to bioaccumulate in tissues. The present paper aims to review the occurrence of POPs in sediments and biota from the coastal, estuarine and river areas of Portugal. The list of the studied compounds comprises organohalogenated compounds, PAHs, organometallic compounds, pesticides, sterols, fatty acids and pharmaceutical compounds. The contamination of sediments by various pollutants is presented, such as PAHs up to 7,350 ng g^?1 found in Sado estuary and polychlorinated biphenyls up to 62.2 ng g^?1 in the case of sediments collected in Ria de Aveiro. The occurrence of these persistent toxic substances in sediments demonstrates aquatic contamination from agricultural, industrial and urban discharges and the concern about the potential risks to aquatic organisms, wildlife and humans. In fact, several classes of POPs have also been found in biota, such as polychlorinated biphenyls up to 810.9 ng g^?1 in sentinel fish from the Douro River estuary and pesticides in bivalves from the Sado River estuary. The importance of further systematic research on sediments and biota is here highlighted to compare the contamination of these two reservoirs; to assess their spatial and temporal variation; and to determine other classes of POPs that were not investigated yet (e.g., industrial compounds, estrogens and many classes of pharmaceuticals).     

PCBs, PCNs and PBDEs in sediments and mussels from Qingdao coastal sea in the frame of current circulations and influence of sewage sludge

Influence of current circulation and sewage sludge on spatial distributions of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in sediments and mussels from the Qingdao coastal sea were investigated. Total concentrations of PCBs, PCNs and PBDEs in sediments ranged 6.5-32.9, 0.2-1.2, and 0.1-5.5 ngg(-1) dry wt, respectively. The maximum concentrations were all found near the Haibo River mouth, affected by sewage sludge input from the river. Under the current system in Jiaozhou Bay the organic pollutants were subject to deposit on the east side of the bay and trapped inside the bay. Sewage sludge was an important source of PCBs, PCNs and PBDEs in the bay and exponentially magnified the enrichment of PCBs. On the other hand, the congener profiles of PCBs in sediments outside the bay may signify an atmospheric source of PCBs. Total Concentrations of PCBs, PCNs and PBDEs in mussels were 61.4-88.6, 9.0, and 13.8 ngg(-1)lipid, respectively. Mussels enriched significantly PCBs, PCNs and PBDEs relative to the sediments. The total toxicity equivalent quantities (TEQs) of PCNs in mussels were generally lower than that of PCBs. The fluxes of the total PCBs and their TEQs have been decreased steadily since 1950s. The lower chlorinated/brominated congeners of PCNs and PBDEs may exhibit a greater tendency due to less lipophilic and thus a greater probability of being affected by the current circulation in the bay.     

Preliminary data on polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in farmed fish tissues (Salmo salar) and fish feed in Southern Chile

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have become an issue of global concern. Recent studies have shown that farmed salmon can accumulate high levels of brominated compounds in their tissues and consequently there is a growing concern on its industrial and public health impacts. Little information is found in the international literature on PBDEs in the biotic compartment of the Southern Hemisphere. This paper reports the levels of several PBDE congeners found in the tissues of farmed fish from five different farming areas of Southern Chile. PBDEs were analyzed by HRGC-MS. More analytical data were obtained by analyzing these same pollutants in fish feed. Our results indicate a general trend of PBDE levels averaging 1.46 ng g(-1) wet weight (wwt). The observed congeneric distribution that resulted was quite similar to data previously reported in the open literature. PBDE profiles were found to be dominated by BDE 47. No correlation was observed between levels found in the tissues and the lipid content in such tissues, although a high correlation with the fish feed data was observed indicating that this could probably be the main PDBE entry source into fish, although other sources cannot be excluded. Even though the samples were obtained from different geographical areas, they presented fairly similar profiles, indicating a potential common source. We concluded that PBDE levels in the farmed Chilean salmon are in the low average range of values published in the open literature.     

Characterization of polychlorinated biphenyls and brominated flame retardants in sludge,sediment and fish from municipal dumpsite at Surabaya,Indonesia

We investigated the PCBs, PBDEs and HBCDs contamination in sludge, sediments and fish from various locations including raw leachate pond, leachate treatment plans (LTPs), control wells and reference site at open landfill of municipal dumpsite, Surabaya City, Indonesia. 62 PCBs and 14 PBDEs congeners, and 3 HBCDs isomers were identified and quantified using GC–MS and LC–MS/MS, respectively. Concentration ranges and median (value in parentheses) of PCBs, PBDEs and HBCDs were from not detected (ND) to 60 (3.9) ng g⁻¹ dw, 0.0075 to 45 (4.5) ng g⁻¹ dw and ND to 2.8 (0.052) ng g⁻¹ dw in sludge and sediments, respectively. While in two polled of fish samples were 30–55 ng g⁻¹ lw, 6.6–11 ng g⁻¹ lw and 1.6–3.3 ng g⁻¹ lw, respectively. Among the sampling sites, the highest level of PCBs and PBDEs were detected in sludge from raw leachate pond. However, PCBs and PBDEs levels were showing decreased in LTP-1 that could be due to the bacterial degradation but not in LTP-2, HBCDs were more stable in both LTPs. Levels of PCBs and BFRs in sludge at the present study were lower than those reported in sewage sludge reported from some other countries. PCBs profiles were mainly composed in that order by CB-138, -153, -180, -101, -118 and -28, while by BDE-47, -99, -100, -153, -154 and -28 for PBDEs in sludge, sediments and fish. Profiles of HBCDs were predominantly composed by γ- and α-isomers in sludge and fish, respectively. Debromination, dechlorination, commercial formulations used and congener-specific accumulation of those contaminants are the factors influenced the profiles.