Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are a group of refractory organic compounds well known for their carcinogenesis, teratogenesis and mutagenesis. This review summarizes recent degradative patterns based on investigations on worldwide polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons contamination in aquatic sediments, in which microbial respiration couples polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons degradation by using nitrate, Fe(III) and sulfate as electron acceptors. In addition, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons degradation-related genome, proteome, and metabolomics of microbial organism as well as community interactive networks, are also involved so as to further complement the theory of in-situ bioremediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons contaminated sediments.