Chlorinated　paraffins　(CPs)　are　toxic,　bioaccumulative,　persistent,　and　ubiquitously　present　in　the　environment.　Data　on　the　presence　of　short-and　medium-chain　chlorinated　paraffins　(SCCPs　and　MCCPs)　in　urban　areas　with　dense　population　are　still　scarce　to　date.　SCCPs　and　MCCPs　were　measured　in　urban　soils　from　Shanghai　to　comprehensively　investigate　their　levels,　spatial　distribution,　homologue　group　patterns　and　ecological　risk.　The　concentrations　of　CPs　in　soils　varied　from　ND　to　615　ng　g(-1)　with　a　median　value　of　15.7　ng　g(-1)　for　SCCPs　and　from　1.95　to　188　ng　g(-1)　with　a　median　value　of　7.98　ng　g(-1)　for　MCCPs,　respectively.　The　concentrations　of　SCCPs　in　most　soils　were　higher　than　those　of　MCCPs.　The　total　CP　concentrations　in　soil　samples　were　between　4.10　and　625　ng　g(-1)　with　a　median　value　of　26.4　ng　g(-1).　For　different　functional　zones,　the　median　concentrations　of　soil　CPs　were　found　higher　in　green　land　including　park,　greenbelt　and　campus　than　those　in　roadside.　The　highest　concentrations　of　CPs　in　soils　could　be　derived　from　sewage　sludge　application　and　wastewater　irrigation　for　green　land.　Three　types　of　soils　were　classified　by　hierarchical　cluster　analysis　(HCA)　for　SCCPs　and　MCCPs,　the　most　abundant　homologue　groups　in　the　bulk　of　the　soil　samples　were　C11Cl5-7　and　C13Cl5-7　for　SCCPs,　and　C14Cl7-8　and　C15Cl7-8　for　MCCPs.　Correlation　analysis　and　PCA　suggested　that　SCCPs　and　MCCPs　in　soils　in　the　studied　area　derived　from　different　sources.　The　preliminary　ecological　risk　assessment　indicates　that　soil　CPs　at　present　levels　poses　no　significant　ecological　risk　for　soil-dwelling　organisms.　(C)　2014　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.