16 surface sediments were collected from Lake Chaohu. Low brominated polybrominated diphenyl ethers (_LPBDEs) and BDE209 were measured by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The distributions, composition and sources of PBDEs were investigated. Results show that 9 PBDEs are detected. ∑_LPBDEs are in the range of 0.001 to 2.75 ng/g and 1.16 to 5.49 ng/g, with the average of 1.15 and 2.83 ng/g, respectively. Compared with the other estuarine and coastal regions in China, PBDEs contents in Lake Chaohu are in the middle level. The spatial distribution of _LPBDEs and BDE209 contents follow the sequence of western half-lake > eastern half-lake > lake-central. BDE209 is the main component of PBDEs in the sediments of Lake Chaohu. In addition, the compositions of PBDEs homologues are different at different sampling sites. PBDEs are mainly derived from decabromodiphenyl ether. Correlation analysis show that there is a migration correlation between BDE209 and _LPBDEs in the environment.