This article reviews the commonly used methods of removing, sampling and analyzing pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), and looks forward to the future research and development of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs). A large amount of data shows that PPCPs, as a class of emerging pollutants, will cause serious harm to the ecological environment and human health. Although there are not many reports on the detection and treatment of PPCPs in surface water, drinking water and sewage, due to the greater potential harm of PPCPs, sufficient attention should be paid to the research and treatment of PPCPs. This article describes PPCPs in detail.