Fifty　agricultural　soil　samples　collected　from　Fuzhou,　southeast　China,　were　first　investigated　for　the　occurrence,　distribution,　and　potential　risks　of　twelve　organophosphate　esters　(OPEs).　The　total　concentration　of　OPEs　(ΣOPEs)　in　soil　ranged　from　1.33　to　96.5　ng/g　dry　weight　(dw),　with　an　average　value　of　17.1　ng/g　dw.　Especially,　halogenated-OPEs　were　the　predominant　group　with　a　mean　level　of　9.75　ng/g　dw,　and　tris(1-chloro-2-propyl)　phosphate　(TCIPP)　was　the　most　abundant　OPEs,　accounting　for　51.1%　of　ΣOPEs.　The　concentrations　of　TCIPP　and　∑OPEs　were　found　to　be　significantly　higher　(P　＜　0.05)　in　soils　of　urban　areas　than　those　in　suburban　areas.　In　addition,　the　use　of　agricultural　plastic　films　and　total　organic　carbon　had　a　positive　effect　on　the　occurrence　of　OPE　in　this　study.　The　positive　matrix　factorization　model　suggested　complex　sources　of　OPEs　in　agricultural　soils　from　Fuzhou.　The　ecological　risk　assessment　demonstrated　that　tricresyl　phosphate　presented　a　medium　risk　to　land-based　organisms　(0.1　≤　risk　quotient　＜　1.0).　Nevertheless,　the　carcinogenic　and　non-carcinogenic　risks　for　human　exposure　to　OPEs　through　soil　ingestion　and　dermal　absorption　were　negligible.　These　findings　would　facilitate　further　investigations　into　the　pollution　management　and　risk　control　of　OPEs.　©　2024