Since　the　beginning　of　the　use　of　nuclear　energy　in　the　twentieth　century,　atmospheric　nuclear　weapons　testing,　nuclear　accidents,　and　spent　fuel　reprocessing　have　released　large　amounts　of　radioisotopes　into　the　environment,　especially　plutonium　isotopes.　As　an　important　anthropogenic　radionuclide,　plutonium　is　mainly　produced　by　neutron　irradiation　of　uranium.　Plutonium　isotopes　and　their　ratios　from　different　sources　have　a　specific　＇fingerprint＇,　which　is　determined　by　irradiation　time　and　intensity.　Accordingly,　several　methods　have　been　developed　for　the　analysis　of　plutonium　isotopes.　As　a　popular　new　tracer　in　recent　years,　plutonium　isotopes　could　be　used　for　environmental　tracer　applications　and　source　identification　of　regional　environmental　contamination　sources.　This　paper　summarizes　and　compares　the　pretreatment　of　plutonium　isotopes　in　various　samples　and　the　detection　and　analysis　methods　in　recent　years.　Plutonium　isotopes　in　various　environmental　samples　were　enriched　by　chemical　treatments,　such　as　ashing,　acid　digestion,　and　alkali　fusion.　Then　it　was　purified　and　separated　by　extraction　resins　to　remove　interfering　nuclides　for　the　subsequent　mass　spectrometry.　The　practical　applications　of　plutonium　isotopes　and　their　related　ratios　in　the　environment　are　summarized,　such　as　the　determination　of　plutonium　isotopes　and　their　related　ratios　in　the　environment　near　two　representative　nuclear　power　plant　accidents　and　the　monitoring　of　the　safe　operation　of　nuclear　power　plants;　the　establishment　of　a　plutonium　isotope　database　in　the　vicinity　of　Chinese　waters;　and　the　traceability　of　plutonium　isotopes　in　environmental　regions　through　the　global　atmosphere　and　sand　and　dust.　Finally,　the　outlook　for　subsequent　research　in　plutonium　isotope　detection　and　applications　is　presented.