The rapid enrichment and detection of trace polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) are currently challenging issues in the field of environmental science. In this paper, by performing quantum chemistry (QM) calculations and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, we studied the inclusion complexation of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), a representative PCDD molecule, with beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD), one of the widely used compounds in supramolecular chemistry. The calculated results reveal that the stable inclusion complex can be formed in both the gas phase and solvent, which proposes that beta-CD may serve as a potential substrate enriching TCDD. The calculated vibrational spectra indicate that the infrared (IR) and Raman spectroscopy may be suitable for the detection of beta-CD-modified TCDD. The present theoretical results may be informative to environmental scientists who are devoting themselves to developing effective methods for detection and treatment of POPs. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.