Abstract: Phthalate esters (PAEs) are widely used as plasticizers, serving as important additives to increase flexibility of polymers and to make them ideal for use as plasticizers. A variety of possible chemical structures of PAEs induces a wide range of physicochemical properties and enhances environmental partitioning behavior for this class of compounds. As organic pollutants, PAEs can intensely accumulate in biotic organisms and poses immense security problems to the environment and human life. PAEs have therefore gained tremendous attention due to the threat they pose. This paper presented a comprehensive and critical review on research progress regarding PAEs in the environment, distribution in the environment, analysis and detection methods, migration and transformation behaviors, bioaccumulations, and abiotic and biotic degradations. A more consistent trend was that PAEs in the environment were mainly from synthetic sources. PAEs were appreciably absorbable by organic matter in soils and sediments, aerosol particles or some suspended matter in surface water. PAEs were also absorbable by vegetation with certain residues in vegetative parts. Abiotic and biotic degradations were the two degradation methods of PAEs in the environment, but the main mode was biotic degradation. This paper also pointed out the limitations in current studies and future research prospects on PAEs. Recommendations for further research initiatives such as environmental behavior, health risk assessment, treatment and abatement technology, and substitute products development were put forward.