<p>Occurrence, spatial distribution, influencing factors and ecological risks of 15 Phthalate esters (PAEs) in the sediments of Poyang Lake and its tributaries were investigated. The concentrations of total PAEs (Σ₁₅ PAEs) in the sediments of Poyang Lake ranged from 9.8 to 3765.6&#xa0;ng/g dry weight and Σ₁₅ PAEs of the tributaries ranged from 32.7 to 590.9&#xa0;ng/g. Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate was the dominant PAE in the sediments of Poyang Lake, which accounted for approximately half of the Σ₁₅ PAEs. The spatial distribution patterns of most PAEs exhibited a fan shaped pattern, with high concentrations of PAEs locating in the northern part of the lake based on continuous spatial distribution patterns. The PAE distributions were associated with anthropogenic activities and influenced by inputs from tributaries and backflow from the Yangtze River. The correlations between PAEs and environmental factors exhibited region-specific differences according to redundancy analysis and Pearson correlation analysis. Di-<i>iso</i>-butyl phthalate posed a high risk to sensitive fish according to the risk quotients. The results of this study could provide innovative insights into the behaviors of PAEs in the large river-connecting lakes.</p> Graphical Abstract <p></p>