GC/MS determinations on six phthalic acid esters (PAEs) in Ipomoea aquatic grown on potted paddy soil fertilized with municipal sludge and chemical fertilizers showed that the total contents of PAEs (sigma PAEs) in Ipomoea aquatic aboveground parts ranged from 2.129 mg.kg-1 to 7.111 mg.kg-1, decreasing in order of Guangzhou sludge + fertilizers (7.111 mg.kg-1) > Guangzhou sludge (4.767 mg.kg-1) > Foshan sludge (3.569 mg.kg-1) > Foshan sludge + fertilizers (3.305 mg.kg-1) > fertilizers (2.638 mg.kg-1) > control (2.129 mg.kg-1), indicating that compared with control, fertilization increased sigma PAEs in Ipomoea aquatica to a different extent. Only certain compounds of PAEs in different treatments of Ipomoea aquatica were dominant, e.g., butylbenzyl phthalate (BBP) in control, chemical fertilizers, Foshan sludge, and Guangzhou sludge accounted for 40% to 80% of sigma PAEs, di-n-butyl phthalate(DnBP) in foshan sludge + chemical fertilizers accounted for 56%, while di-n-octyl phthalate(DnOP), di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate(DEHP) and BBP in Guangzhou sludge + chemical fertilizers accounted for approximately 30%. sigma PAEs and the contents of its most compounds were higher in the plants of Ipomoea aquatica than in its roots to a different extent.