The　extraction　efficiency　of　accelerated　solvent　extraction　(ASE)　was　studied　for　Phthalate　Esters　in　sediment　and　compared　with　that　of　Soxhlet.　A　method　has　been　developed　for　the　detection　of　16　phthalate　esters　(PAEs)　in　sediment　samples　by　ASE　and　gas　chromatography.　mass　spectrometry　(GC/MS).　The　samples　were　extracted　using　ASE　with　dichloromethane.　hexane　mixture,　and　then　the　extracts　were　purified　by　Florisil　column.　After　cleanup,　the　extracts　were　analyzed　by　GC/MS　in　SIM　mode,　using　characteristic　ions　for　quantification.　The　results　showed　that　dichloromethane.　hexane　mixture　displayed　the　best　extraction　performance　among　the　three　employed　solvents,　80　degrees　C　was　the　best　extraction　temperature.　In　comparison　with　Soxhlet　extraction　method,　not　only　the　efficiency　of　ASE　was　generally　better　than　Soxhlet,　but　reduced　solvent　consumption.　The　average　recoveries　were　from　81.　2%　to　128.　5%,　the　correlation　coefficient　was　more　than　0.　99,　and　the　limits　of　detection　(LOD)　of　all　the　compounds　were　0.　12-0.　98　ng/g　with　RSDs　less　than　10.　8%.