“…The large reported octanol–water partition coefficient ( K ow ) values of PBDEs (ranging from 10 6 to >10 8 for tri- to decabromodiphenyl ethers) make these substances highly susceptible to partitioning to dissolved organic matter (DOM). This process may alter the transport, bioavailability, and overall fate of these substances in the aquatic environment. − Oligotrophic lakes that are high in DOM and low in suspended solids are abundant throughout the Arctic, making DOM partitioning a significant process influencing the fate of hydrophobic organic contaminants (HOCs). Extensive previous research on the partitioning of other HOCs to DOM suggests that the magnitude of the dissolved organic carbon (DOC)-water equilibrium partition coefficient ( K DOC ) for a given HOC depends on the DOM’s composition, for example, aromaticity, molecular weight, and H/C and O/C atomic ratios, etc. ,− However, Akkanen et al, observed no such correlation for one BDE congener (2,2′,4,4′ tetrabromo diphenyl ether), which yields uncertainty in the relationship between PBDEs and DOM properties.…”