Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs)have received extensive attention due to their wide distribution and stability in the environment as well as their special toxicity.Contamination of PAHs in soil through skin exposure and edi-ble agricultural products largely threaten human health.Therefore,it is of great scientific interest and practical signifi-cance to evaluate the distribution characteristics of PAHs and risk assessment in soil.Taking the farmland soil in the mountainous area of western Hubei(Xianfeng county)as an example,the spatial distribution characteristics of different types of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were analyzed,and their potential sources and environmental risks were ex-plored.The results showed that the distribution of PAHs in farmland soil in Xianfeng County was relatively uniform,and PAHs concentrations were lower than screening value of the soil pollution risk.Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the study area mainly come from a variety of mixed sources such as coal/biomass combustion sources,liquid fossil fuel com-bustion sources,and petroleum sources.The overall ecological risk of PAHs is low,and there is no obvious carcinogenic risk to children and adults.On the whole,the pollution degree of PAHs in farmland soil of Xianfeng County is relatively light,but the influence of PAHs in important industrial development areas and major human activity area is worthy of attention.