Concentrations　of　hexabromocyclododecanes　(HBCDs)　were　determined　in　surface　sediments　of　Shanghai,　China.　The　concentrations　of　total　HBCD　diastereoisomers　(Sigma　HBCD)　ranged　from　0.01　to　13.70　ng　g(-1)　dry　weight　(dw)　with　a　mean　value　of　3.41　ng　g(-1)　dw,　which　was　up　to　several　orders　of　magnitude　lower　than　those　reported　for　sediments　from　European　countries.　The　SHBCD　concentrations　in　sediments　from　chemical/textile　industrial　or　densely　populated　areas　were　generally　higher　than　those　from　rural　or　less　chemical/textile　industrialized　areas　in　Shanghai.　A　high　proportion　of　alpha-HBCD　was　observed　in　sediment　samples　and　was　significantly　higher　than　that　of　commercial　HBCD　products.　This　might　be　due　to　thermal　isomerization　from　gamma-HBCD　to　alpha-HBCD　and　slower　degradation　rate　of　alpha-HBCD　compared　to　gamma-HBCD　in　anaerobic　conditions.　The　mass　inventory　of　SHBCD　in　surface　sediments　of　Shanghai　was　estimated　at　164.4　kg,　representing　a　significant　source　of　HBCDs　to　the　Shanghai　environment.　This　indicates　that　further　study　on　potential　transfer　of　HBCDs　from　sediments　to　aquatic　organisms　and　ecological　risk　assessments　is　required.