Abstract:The transference of faecal sterols between sediments and water via volume oscillation method was simulated, effects of temperature, salinity, pH and concentration of faecal sterols on the adsorption behaviors were investigated. There were some negative effects on the adsorption of faecal sterols by sediments but positive ones on increase of solubility of faecal sterols with increase of temperature. Meanwhile, the adsorption of faecal sterols by sediments was inhibited by release of hydrophilic groups in organic matters into water. There were some positive effects on the adsorption with increase of either salinity or initial concentration of faecal sterols in water, while the adsorption was inhibited by either increase or decrease of pH. Role on the adsorption of crude humin in the sediments was much more important than minerals. Besides, with the variations of temperature, salinity, pH and concentration of faecal sterols, there were few changes in the mass ratio of coprostanol /(coprostanol+cholestanol), coprostanol/24-ethylcoprostanol, coprostanol/cholesterol, 24-ethyl coprostanol/sitosterol and 24-ethyl coprostanol /(24-ethyl coprostanol +sitostanol). Thus, these five indices of mass ratio could be used as indicators of faecal contamination.