Abstract: The analysis methods and pollution characteristics of petroleum hydrocarbons in water and sediment both at home and abroad in recent years were reviewed. The principle, applicable scope, advantages, disadvantages and applications of various extraction methods and determination methods were systematically summarized. At present, liquid-liquid extraction was the most common method for extracting petroleum hydrocarbons from water samples, while Soxhlet extraction and ultrasonic extraction were the most common methods for sediment samples. Gas chromatography was the main development direction for determining the concentration of total petroleum hydrocarbons and the content of specific components of petroleum hydrocarbons. Also, the pollution levels, distribution, and influencing factors of petroleum hydrocarbons in water and sediments worldwide were summarized. The results showed that the low pollution concentrations of petroleum hydrocarbons in water (0.05-4.13 μg/L) appeared in the Gulf of Thailand and the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, and the high pollution concentration (1 581 541 μg/L) appeared in New South Wales, Australia. The low pollution concentrations of petroleum hydrocarbons in sediments (not detected-1.71 mg/kg) came from the coastline and mangroves in the northern Persian Gulf, and the high pollution concentrations (300-16 500 mg/kg) came from the Pearl River Estuary in China. Petroleum hydrocarbon pollution in water and sediment was mainly distributed in Asia. Oil spills, industrial wastewater emissions and urban runoff were the main factors influencing the rise of petroleum hydrocarbon pollution levels in the environment. Finally, the research priorities on petroleum hydrocarbons in water and sediments in future were proposed.