Contamination by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) infreshwater ecosystems represents a serious environmental problem.When they enter the water, either by oil spills or industrialdischarges, they adhere to suspended particles, accumulating insediments and causing them to be absorbed by aquatic organisms,such as decapods and amphipods. Therefore, to evaluate the effects ofPAHs on Macrobrachium borelli and Hyalella azteca, a bibliographiccompilation was made considering the axes of hydrocarbon toxicityand adaptation mechanisms for these pollutants. The results fordecapods indicate a high toxicity for the water-soluble fraction withdiesel, although this does not prevent normal hatching of eggs. Foramphipods, it was found that, according to their mortality, it is amore sensitive species than other organisms, such as chironomids.In addition, the sublethal effects due to PAH exposure vary...