Abstract: Based on the characteristics of the tidal flat distribution and surface sediments of the Nantong coastal area(from Yangkou Port to Lusi coast), seven kinds of heavy metals such as mercury, cadmium, lead, arsenic, chromium, etc, were analyzed. This study analyzed the characteristic of heavy metal concentration of the sediments in this area, compared with that in other tidal flat sediments of other coastal areas of Jiangsu, and finally discussed changes of heavy metal concentrations in the surface sediments in the Nantong coastal area from 2009 to 2012 and their relationship to the elements. Potential ecological risk factors and potential ecological risk of 7 heavy metal elements in the surface sediments of the tidal flat in Nantong coastal area were preliminarily evaluated using the potential ecological risk index method. The results show that the heavy metal elements in the surface sediments of the tidal flat in Nantong are evenly distributed, and the contents of heavy metals are lower than that in other coastal tidal flat sediments in Jiangsu Province. Correlation analysis of seven kinds of heavy metal elements shows that Cu has a good correlation with Pb and Zn, and Pb has worst correlation with Cd and Hg. Risk assessment using potential ecological risk index method shows that the potential ecological risk factors triggered by seven kinds of heavy metals in the surface sediments of coastal tidal flat in Nantong belongs to low ecological risk categories, suggesting that the environmental quality of the surface sediments in the tidal flat of the coastal area(from Yangkou Port to Lusi coast)is generally good.