The concentrations of the six target PAEs found in the procedural blanks were 0.03, 0.04, 0.05, 0.02, 0.08 and 0.11 mg L− 1 for DMP, DEP, DnBP, BBP, DEHP and DnOP, respectively, and each PAE concentration of the procedural blanks was subtracted from that of the sediment samples.