Abstract: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs)are widespread,persistent and bioaccumulative.With the increasing of human activities,PAHs contents increase dramatically.PAHs have become one of the main organic chemical pollutants in environmental water.PAHs not only have toxic effects on aquatic organisms and aquatic ecosystems,but also can cause human and animal bodies to be mutated,teratogenic and carcinogenic through food chain.In this paper,the harm of PAHs in the water to aquatic animals and other aquatic organisms was reviewed.Status of PAHs pollution in some water bodies such as urban sewage,surface water,ground water and sea water in our country was presented.The existing forms and degradation pathways of PAHs in water bodies were briefly described,and the future research directions were prospected.