Polybrominated diphenyl ethers occurrence in major inflowing rivers of Lake Chaohu (China): Characteristics, potential sources and inputs to lake

•The highest PBDEs concentration was detected in western inflowing rivers of Lake Chaohu.•Sewage treatment plant was an important source of the lower brominated BDEs input to river.•BDE 209 was the dominant contributor input to Lake Chaohu.•It was about 344kgyr−1 of PBDEs transported to lake from inflowing rivers during the flood season. Eight commonly occurring polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), including BDE 28, 47, 99, 100, 153, 154, 183, 207, and 209, were investigated in water samples from seven major inflowing rivers of Lake Chaohu to determine the distribution characteristics, potential sources and inputs to the lake. The sum of 8 BDE congeners (Σ8PBDEs) had a concentration varied from 0.31 to 84ngL−1, with those of BDE 209, BDE 47, BDE 99, and BDE 153 being 0.31–83,