A　method　based　on　headspace　(HS)　sampling　coupling　with　portable　gas　chromatography　(GC)　with　photo　ionization　detector　(PID)　was　developed　for　rapid　determination　of　benzene,　toluene,　ethylbenzene,　and　xylenes　(BTEX)　in　soils.　Optimal　conditions　for　HS　gas　sampling　procedure　were　determined,　and　the　influence　of　soil　organic　matter　on　the　recovery　of　BTEX　from　soil　was　investigated　using　five　representative　Chinese　soils.　The　results　showed　that　the　HS-portable-GC-PID　method　could　be　effectively　operated　at　ambient　temperature,　and　the　addition　of　15　ml　of　saturated　NaCl　solution　in　a　40-ml　sampling　vial　and　60　s　of　shaking　time　for　sample　solution　were　optimum　for　the　HS　gas　sampling　procedure.　The　recoveries　of　each　BTEX　in　soils　ranged　from　87.2　to　105.1　%,　with　relative　standard　deviations　varying　from　5.3　to　7.8　%.　Good　linearity　was　obtained　for　all　BTEX　compounds,　and　the　detection　limits　were　in　the　0.1　to　0.8　mu　g　kg(-1)　range.　Soil　organic　matter　was　identified　as　one　of　the　principal　elements　that　affect　the　HS　gas　sampling　of　BTEX　in　soils.　The　HS-portable-GC-PID　method　was　successfully　applied　for　field　determination　of　benzene　and　toluene　in　soils　of　a　former　chemical　plant　in　Jilin　City,　northeast　China.　Considering　its　satisfactory　repeatability　and　reproducibility　and　particular　suitability　to　be　operated　in　ambient　environment,　HS　sampling　coupling　with　portable　GC-PID　is,　therefore,　recommended　to　be　a　suitable　screening　tool　for　rapid　on-site　determination　of　BTEX　in　soils.