<p>Organophosphate esters (OPEs) are emerging contaminants in recent years and studies concluded that urban centers were a significant source of OPEs. Samples were collected from six ground-based sites located in Chengdu, a typical fast developing metropolitan of southwest China and were analyzed for seven OPEs in atmospheric PM<sub>2.5</sub>. The concentrations of Σ<sub>7</sub>OPEs in PM<sub>2.5</sub> ranged from 5.83 to 6.91 ng m<sup>−3</sup>, with a mean of 6.6 ± 3.3 ng m<sup>−3</sup>, and the primary pollutants were TBEP, TnBP, TCEP and TCPP which made up more than 80 % in the Σ<sub>7</sub>OPEs. The concentrations of Σ<sub>7</sub>OPEs were higher in autumn/winter than that in summer. Nonparametric test showed that there was no significant difference in Σ<sub>7</sub>OPEs concentrations among the six sampling sites, but the occurence of unexpected high level of individual OPEs at different sites in autumn might indicate that there was a noteworthy emission. Very strong correlation (<i>R</i><sup>2</sup> = 0.98, <i>p</i> < 0.01) between the OPEs in soil and in PM<sub>2.5</sub> suggested the atmospheric PM<sub>2.5</sub> settlement is an important source of OPEs in soil. The backward trajectory analysis displayed that OPEs in PM<sub>2.5</sub> were mainly affected by local sources. The principal component analysis (PCA) identified the OPEs in PM<sub>2.5</sub> were largely sourced from the plastic industry/interior decoration /traffic emission (34.5 %) and chemical, mechanical and electrical industry (27.8 %), while PMF model found the main sources were the plastics industry/indoor source emissions, the food/cosmetics industry, and industrial emissions. Differed from the coastal cities, the sustained and stable high local emissions in the inland city were identified which were particularly noteworthy. The chlorinated phosphate, especially TCPP and TCEP have a high content, whose usage and source emissions should be controlled.</p>