Desorption and microbial debromination of BDE-47 in sediments were investigated.
BDE-47 desorption was fitted well with the first-order 3-compartment model.
The debromination ratio of BDE-47 negatively correlated with the BC content.
Debromination of BDE-47 by microbes underwent a stepwise debromination pathway.
The BDE-47 bioavailability to microbes in sediments was mainly controlled by BC.