The scientific literature concerned with hydrocarbons of natural and anthropogenic origin in freshwaters has been critically reviewed. Main topics are: Formation of hydrocarbons by biosynthesis, diagenesis and pyrolysis; routes into the freshwater environment; efficiencies and limits of analytical techniques employed in determination of concentration levels and in source identification; sorption; photooxidation; bioconcentration; biotransformation by aquatic animals; biodégradation by microorganisms under aerobic and anaerobic conditions; and finally, toxicity and carcinogenicity, with emphasis on lethal and sublethal effects observed in aquatic organisms at the ppb-level.weiterlesen