Semi-permeable membrane devices (SPMDs) were applied to sample some Organochlorinated Pesticides (OCPs), Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) from the seawater of 14 Chinese coastal areas. The total concentrations of OCPs (∑16OCPs), PAHs (∑15PAHs) and PCBs (∑35PCBs) were in the ranges of 489.2–2174, 589.4–53,160, and 133.2–3658 ng/g lipid, respectively. The ∑15PAHs varied significantly with the sampling locations, which were far higher in north Chinese coastal areas than in south areas, whereas ∑16OCPs and ∑35PCBs only slightly fluctuated along the entire coast line. Comparing SPMD to grab sampler, it was found that the distribution patterns of the PCBs and OCPs in seawater were generally similar. However, the compositional profiles of the PAHs, PCBs, DDTs and HCHs in SPMDs were slightly different to grab samplers and organisms. The SPMDs accumulated less lipotropic compounds, which are inclined to dissolve in water rather than in organisms. © 2018 Elsevier Ltd