Artificial　sweeteners　(ASs),　as　a　new　emerging　pollutant,　the　fate　from　wastewater　treatment　plants　(WWTPs)　to　sea　is　growing　concerned.　In　this　study,　the　distribution　and　polluted　loading　of　six　typical　ASs　were　analyzed　based　on　the　measurement　in　influent,　primary　effluent,　secondary　effluent,　tertiary　effluent,　suspended　particulate　matter　(SPM),　and　sludge　from　four　WWTPs　and　receiving　waters　near　the　coast　of　Shenzhen　city,　China.　Elevated　levels　of　ASs　were　detected　in　WWTPs　located　near　a　highly　populated　area　(about　14,000　people　km-2).　Sucralose　was　predominant　in　all　water　samples　(0.1-22.2　mu　g　L-1),　and　had　a　1.6-704.0　times　higher　concentration　than　the　means　of　other　ASs　detected.　Aspartame　were　mainly　distributed　in　SPM　and　sludge,　and　the　fractions　in　offshore　water　exceeded　45%.　Acesulfame,　sucralose,　cyclamate　and　saccharin　could　be　effectively　removed　by　secondary　biochemical　treatment.　The　average　daily　loading　(4.2　g　d-1　1000people-1)　and　discharge　loading　(0.4　g　d-1　1000people-1)　of　sucralose　in　WWTPs　was　higher　than　those　of　the　other　ASs.　Dissolved　organic　carbon　and　UV254　can　affect　the　fate　of　ASs,　and　SPM　mainly　affects　the　distributions　of　aspartame　and　neotame.　As　a　potential　sewage　indicator,　neotame　deserves　further　attention.