Hexabromocyclododecanes in surface sediments and a sediment core from Rivers and Harbor in the northern Chinese city of Tianjin

► This is the first time to systematically report HBCDs in sediments from China. ► This is one of the few studies that report HBCDs in a sediment core in the world. ► The highest concentration of total HBCDs in sediment was found in Southeast Asia. ► Both diastereomer- and enantiomer-profiles of HBCDs in sediments were reported.