Polybrominated　diphenyl　ethers　(PBDEs)　may　be　metabolized　to　form　hydroxylated　and　quinone　products.　Study　on　the　formation　of　DNA　adducts　altered　by　PBDEs　quinones　was　conducted.　Various　types　of　DNA　adducts　generated　from　in　vitro　reaction　of　deoxyguanosine　(dG),　2＇-deoxyadenosine　(dA),　2＇-deoxycytidine　(dC),　thymidine　(T)　and　DNA　with　a　PBDE-quinone　metabolite,　namely　2-(2＇,4＇-bromophenoxyl)-benzoquinone　(2＇4＇BrPhO-BQ)　were　characterized.　The　results　suggest　that　the　quinone　compound　could　form　various　DNA　adducts　with　dG,　dA　and　dC　via　Michael　Addition,　which　was　confirmed　from　analyses　by　electrospray　ionization　tandem　mass　spectrometry.　Two　adducts　were　respectively　generated　from　the　reactions　of　2＇4＇BrPhO-BQ　with　dC　and　dG,　while　three　adducts　were　produced　with　dA.　The　formation　of　adducts　of　2＇4＇BrPhO-BQ-deoxynucleoside　changed　with　different　pH　of　reaction　solution.　The　obtained　results　demonstrated　that　2＇4＇BrPhO-BQ　could　covalently　bind　to　DNA　mediated　by　quinone　group.　The　in　vitro　data　of　the　formation　of　DNA　adducts　might　be　valuable　to　elucidate　the　mechanism　of　interaction　between　PBDEs　and　DNA　in　vivo.　©　2014　Elsevier　Ltd.