Abstract: According to the previous researches on the sediments in the waters off southern Shandong Peninsula, the paper comprehensively summarizes the present situation of heavy metal pollution, the source and distribution pattern of the materials, the accumulation process and the response of human activities to the situation. Research progress and some of the methods for evaluating heavy metal pollution at home and abroad are presented. The Jiaozhou Bay is the most heavily polluted area due to the wastewater from factories and domestic sewages, and the investigation degree of other areas is relatively poor and need to be improved.