Abstract: Volatile phenols are found in a wide range of industrial wastes and natural waters. The US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) lists eleven phenols as priority pollutants due to their toxicity and serious hazard on the ecological environment and human health. Some methods for volatile phenol analysis were introduced in this paper, such gaschromatography, distillationBrvolumetry, gravimetry, thin layer chromatography, liquid chromatography, spectrophotometry and so on. The developments in the application of flow injection analysisspectrophotometric determination of volatile phenols were reviewed in detail. The factors affecting the determination of volatile phenols such as pH, oxidant, air peaks and sample matrix were discussed. The application trend of flow injection analysisspectrophotometry in this area was prospected and 54 references were cited.