Previous　studies　have　reported　high　serum　concentrations　of　polybrominated　diphenyl　ethers,　especially　decabromodiphenyl　ether　(BDE-209),　in　the　residents　of　an　electronic　waste　(e-waste)　dismantling　site　in　Guiyu　town,　South　China.　In　the　present　study,　human　serum　samples　in　this　region　were　collected　and　pooled　for　the　identification　of　hydroxylated　diphenyl　ethers　(OH-PBDEs).　Three　OH-PBDEs,　including　two　hydroxylated　octabromodiphenyl　ethers　(OH-octaBDEs,　6-OH-BDE196　and　6-OH-BDE199)　and　one　hydroxylated　nonabromodiphenyl　ether　(OH-nonaBDE,　6＇-OH-BDE206),　were　first　structurally　identified.　Identification　was　done　by　coeluting　a　mixture　of　synthetic　authentic　standards　with　the　methylated　OH-PBDEs　from　the　pooled　samples　using　two　gas　chromatography　columns　with　different　polarities.　The　results　were　supported　by　full　scan　mass　spectrometric　data　in　electron　capture　negative　ionization　mode.　All　three　OH-PBDE　metabolites　had　hydroxy　groups　substituted　in　the　ortho　position.　These　results　indicate　that　hydroxylated　higher　brominated　diphenyl　ethers　such　as　OH-octaBDEs　and　OH-nonaBDEs　can　accumulate　in　human　blood.　The　results　suggest　that　higher　brominated　diphenyl　ethers　could　be　oxidatively　metabolized　into　OH-PBDEs　in　humans.　Because　low　brominated　OH-PBDEs　can　also　be　detected　in　abiotic　media,　further　investigations　are　needed　to　determine　the　presence　of　higher　brominated　OH-PBDEs　in　the　environment　in　this　region.