Abstract A total of thirty-three surface water samples were collected from Meiliang Bay, Gonghu Bay and Xukou Bay of Lake Taihu, and analyzed for synthetic musks, including 1,3,4,6,7,8-hexahydro-4,6,6,7,8,8-hexamethylcyclopenta-[γ]-2-benzopyrane (HHCB), 7-acetyl-1,1,3,4,4,6-hexamethyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene (AHTN), 1-tert-butyl-3,5-dimethyl-2,5-dinitro-4-acetylbenzene (MK) and 1-tert…