Phthalates esters (PAEs), as a persistent organic pollutant, is a typical environmental estrogen. Currently PAEs is used as plasticizer and softeners in plastics industry. Based on the characteristics of PAEs, the author summarized its distribution, endanger in the water and the water pollution situation in recent years, which is aimed to provide a reference for the evaluation of the safety of PAEs to aquatic organisms and the impact of water ecology environment. ［Chinese Fishery Quality and Standards, 2014, 4(4):13-20］