Phthalates, or phthalic acid esters (PAEs), are widely used in plastic products as plasticizers and are present in various environmental matrices. They are ubiquitous in the environment, including air, water, soil, and biota, and have been detected in indoor air where people spend a significant amount of time. PAEs are involved in endocrine disrupting effects and have various toxic effects on different species, including terrestrial and aquatic fauna and flora. Their presence in the environment has attracted considerable attention due to their potential impacts on ecosystem functioning and public health. This paper synthesizes extensive literature data on the behavior, transport, fate, and ecotoxicological state of PAEs in environmental matrices such as air, water, sediment, sludge, wastewater, soil, and biota. The origins and physicochemical properties of PAEs that control their behavior, transport, and fate in the environment are reviewed. Data on transport and fate, adverse environmental and human health effects, legislation, restrictions, and ecotoxicological state of PAEs are compiled. PAEs are involved in endocrine disrupting effects, and their environmental behavior has attracted considerable attention due to their potential impact on ecosystem functioning and public health. Six of them have been placed on the priority pollutant list of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA), the European Union (EU), and on the list of priority pollutants in Chinese waters. The use of PAEs is now subject to stricter control and some have been prohibited or their reduction in numerous products has been recommended. PAEs are present in many materials, including PVC products, building materials, personal-care products, medical devices, detergents and surfactants, packaging, children's toys, printing inks and coatings, pharmaceuticals and food products, textiles, and household applications. PAEs with low molecular weight are components of industrial solvents, solvents in perfumes, adhesives, waxes, inks, pharmaceutical products, insecticide materials, and cosmetics. PAEs with longer alkyl chains are used as plasticizers in the polymer industry to improve flexibility, workability, and general handling properties. PAEs can be removed from environmental matrices by processes such as microbiological transformation and degradation, volatilization, photo-oxidation, photolysis, sorption, and biological uptake. PAEs are ubiquitous in the atmosphere, including indoor air where people spend 65–90% of their time. PAEs can be removed from the atmosphere by wet and dry deposition. PAEs with short carbon chains are mainly in the gas phase, while PAEs with longer chains are mainly adsorbed on particles. PAEs can be accumulated in the hydrosphere via atmospheric deposition, leaching, and drainage. PAEs can be removed from water by biodegradation, which is the most important process for the removal of PAEs from water. PAEs can be accumulated in the sediment via various processes, andPhthalates, or phthalic acid esters (PAEs), are widely used in plastic products as plasticizers and are present in various environmental matrices. They are ubiquitous in the environment, including air, water, soil, and biota, and have been detected in indoor air where people spend a significant amount of time. PAEs are involved in endocrine disrupting effects and have various toxic effects on different species, including terrestrial and aquatic fauna and flora. Their presence in the environment has attracted considerable attention due to their potential impacts on ecosystem functioning and public health. This paper synthesizes extensive literature data on the behavior, transport, fate, and ecotoxicological state of PAEs in environmental matrices such as air, water, sediment, sludge, wastewater, soil, and biota. The origins and physicochemical properties of PAEs that control their behavior, transport, and fate in the environment are reviewed. Data on transport and fate, adverse environmental and human health effects, legislation, restrictions, and ecotoxicological state of PAEs are compiled. PAEs are involved in endocrine disrupting effects, and their environmental behavior has attracted considerable attention due to their potential impact on ecosystem functioning and public health. Six of them have been placed on the priority pollutant list of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA), the European Union (EU), and on the list of priority pollutants in Chinese waters. The use of PAEs is now subject to stricter control and some have been prohibited or their reduction in numerous products has been recommended. PAEs are present in many materials, including PVC products, building materials, personal-care products, medical devices, detergents and surfactants, packaging, children's toys, printing inks and coatings, pharmaceuticals and food products, textiles, and household applications. PAEs with low molecular weight are components of industrial solvents, solvents in perfumes, adhesives, waxes, inks, pharmaceutical products, insecticide materials, and cosmetics. PAEs with longer alkyl chains are used as plasticizers in the polymer industry to improve flexibility, workability, and general handling properties. PAEs can be removed from environmental matrices by processes such as microbiological transformation and degradation, volatilization, photo-oxidation, photolysis, sorption, and biological uptake. PAEs are ubiquitous in the atmosphere, including indoor air where people spend 65–90% of their time. PAEs can be removed from the atmosphere by wet and dry deposition. PAEs with short carbon chains are mainly in the gas phase, while PAEs with longer chains are mainly adsorbed on particles. PAEs can be accumulated in the hydrosphere via atmospheric deposition, leaching, and drainage. PAEs can be removed from water by biodegradation, which is the most important process for the removal of PAEs from water. PAEs can be accumulated in the sediment via various processes, and