Abstract: To characterize distribution of phthalate esters(PAEs) in Lake Luoma, a total of 22 water samples, 6 sediment samples and 6 fish samples were collected from the lake in April, 2016 for analysis of 11 kinds of PAEs using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Results show that only diisobutyl phthalate (DiBP) and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) were detected in water, sediment and fish samples. Concentrations of PAEs were obviously higher in the lake than in inflowing rivers and in outlets of the lake. PAEs concentration varied in the range of 0.05-186.8 μg·L^-1 (52.94 μg·L^-1 on average) in the lake water samples, 786.5-1 138 μg·kg^-1 (952.4 μg·kg^-1 on average) in the sediment samples, which was 18.0 times higher than that in the lake water samples, and 1 078-1 996 μg·kg^-1 (1 533 μg·kg^-1 on average) in the fish samples, which was 29.0 times higher than that in the lake water samples. That is to say, the mean BCF of PAEs in Lake Luoma was 29.0. All the findings indicate that accumulation of PAEs is high in sediment and fish. But as compared with water bodies in the other water source regions in China, Lake Luoma is relatively low in PAE contamination. Health risk assessment shows that the exposure of the residents around the lake to PAEs does not pose any acute toxicity. However, as the substances are highly bioaccumulative, their chronic toxicity should not be ignored, especially for its higher exposure risks to children.