Effects of DOMs extracted from lake sediments different in trophic level from the Wuli Lake and the East Taihu Lake on phosphate sorption isotherms and sorption kinetics were studied through sorption experiment.The results indicate that:(1)DOM did not show much effect on phosphate sorption kinetics in lake sediments.Phosphate sorption proceeded at a high rate during the first 10 hrs,and basically reached equilibrium after 20 hrs.But the phosphate sorption rate was increased by DOM,especially during the initial period of 0-0.5 h,from 82.34 to 97.18 mg kg^-1 h^-1 in the sediment from the East Taihu Lake,and from 12.21 to 59.17 mg kg^-1 h^-1 n the sediment from the Wuli Lake;(2) DOM obviously changed the phosphate sorption isothernis of the sediments,suggesting it enhanced the sorption process and improved the efficiency of phosphate sorption on the lake sediments,from 123.3 to 164.8 L kg^-1 on the sedimem from the East Taihu Lake and from 94.56 to 206.3 L kg^-1 on the sediment from the Wuli Lake;(3) The effect of DOM on phosphate sorption was greater on the sediment from the Wuli Lake that was high in pollution and in organic matter content than that on the sediment from the East Taihu Lake that was moderate in nutrient level and low in organic matter content.