Abstract: 【Objective】 This study aimed to reveal the accumulation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs)in urban forest soil and their correlation with soil black carbon(BC)in Nanjing, China.【Method】 Fifty-four urban forest soil samples at 18 sites in Nanjing were collected, including three soil layers of 0-10, ≥10-20, and ≥20-30 cm, and six typical urban forestry function zones of urban square(US), road green belts(RGB), urban park(UP), residential areas(RA), urban forest(UF), and urban rural forest(URF). The PAH and BC contents, as well as the soil pH values, were analyzed.【Results】PAH contents in different function zones were in the following order: US(975.06 ng/kg)>RGB(614.57 ng/kg)>UP(523.14 ng/kg)>RA(512.01 ng/kg)>UF(273.41 ng/kg)>URF(270.71 ng/kg). The PAH contents in the US were significantly higher than those in other function zones, and those in RGB were significantly higher than those in the UP, RA, UF and URF(P<0.05). The composition of soil PAHs in the study areas was similar, mainly with three-ringed, four-ringed, or five-ringed PAHs, with three-ringed PAHs being dominant. The PAH contents in the three soil layers were significantly different among different function zones(P<0.05). The vertical distribution among different function zones was different, and for the different soil layers in the RGB, US, RA and URF, from highest to lowest, the distribution was ≥10-20, 0-10, and ≥20-30 cm; for different soil layers in the UP, from highest to lowest, the distribution was 0-10, ≥10-20, and ≥20-30 cm; and for different soil layers in the UF, from highest to lowest, the distribution was 0-10, ≥20-30, and ≥10-20 cm. The ecological risk effect(R_Bap)of soil PAHs in the different function zones was between 1.0-1.6, and from highest to lowest, was US>RGB>UP>RA>UF>URF, which indicated a low potential harmfulness to organisms in the study area. There were significant correlations between BC and PAH contents(R²=0.74, P<0.05). 【Conclusion】 The PAH contents in soils among different urban forest function zones in Nanjing were different, the PAH content in the urban square(US)was significantly higher than that in other function zones. Soil PAHs were mainly composed of three-ringed, four-ringed, or five-ringed PAHs, with three-ringed PAHs being most dominant. The total soil PAH content decreased with increasing of soil depth as a whole. The ecological risk effect(R_Bap)of soil PAHs was small, with a low potential harmfulness to organisms in the study area. Soil PAH content was significantly correlated with BC content.