Abstract: According to their physical and chemical properties,the sediment samples from the Xiaodong River were divided into four layers from up to down:A (0～10 cm),B(10～20 cm),C(20～35 cm),D(35～65 cm).It was found that the content of volatile phenol in B-layer is the highest,that on D-layer is the lowest,and that the vertical distribution is generally B>A>C>D.The highest points of volatile phenol content in A,B,C and D layers are respectively correspondent with fine sand soil,grain sand soil,sandy clay and grain sand soil.