Abstract: The analysis methods of pentachlorophenol(PCP) and their recent development in China are briefly introduced in common used. The mechanism, application condition, detection limit, linear range and application material of every method is discussed in detail. Spectrophotometric method is simple in operation and the instruments involved are popular, but because of the wide absorption band of PCP, the lower resolution of the instrument and the high interference by coexist organic compounds, this method is limited in application. Because PCP do not need to gasify and derive, high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC) is deemed as a perfect analysis method. The acetylation with acetic anhydride, separation by capillary chromatographic column and determination by electron capture detector(ECD) are the most popular gas chromatography(GC) methods for the determination of PCP. The application of purge and trap concentrator, solid phase microextration(SPME) and mass spectra detection in GC methods improved the accuracy and sensitivity of the determination of PCP. Pentachlorophenolate ion selective electrode is still in investigation period.