ObjectivePolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have carcinogenic, teratogenic, and mutagenic effects, and soil PAH pollution has become a world-wide problem. However, ecological soil screening and controlling levels (Eco-SSCLs) for PAHs in China have not yet been established. Thus, soil ecological security risk assessment is still unsubstantiated.MethodHere, we systematically investigated the research outcomes in related fields at home and aboard, and screened out 248 toxicity data (Effect concentration₁₀, EC₁₀ and No observed effect concentration, NOEC) of 16 pri-control PAHs listed in USEPA. The species sensitivity distributions were developed by a series of cumulative distribution functions, and were successfully used to derive soil environmental criteria of each PAH (PAH-SEC) for ecological security under different land use types.ResultThe PAH-SEC values under different land use types were 1.00-10.60 mg·kg^-1 (natural reserve and agricultural land), 1.03-25.44 mg·kg^-1 (parkland), 1.12-51.00 mg·kg^-1(residential land), 1.20-68.41 mg·kg^-1 (commercial service and industrial land).ConclusionThe results can provide data support for the formulation of soil environmental quality standards for ecological security, and offer bases for ecological risk assessment of PAHs polluted soil.