To study the pollution status of sediment in black-odor rivers, the concentration and distributions of characteristics were analyzed in sediment from black-odor rivers in Nanjing city, such as total nitrogen、total phosphorous、organic matter and heavy metals. The nutrients in sediment were evaluated by organic index and pollution index, and the pollution degree of heavy metals was evaluated by the method of pollution load index. The results show that the average contents of total nitrogen、total phosphorous organic matter were 1537.81、1905.83 mg.kg-1 and 7.62% respectively, which the distribution was distinct. Meanwhile, the average content of Zn、Ni、Cr、Cu and Pb were 1699.10、276.21、535.53、588.80 mg.kg-1 and 124.79 mg.kg-1. The content of each metal element is far more than the background value of Nanjing soil and is disturbed by human activities; Assessment of nutrients shows that the pollution of organic matter and phosphorus was more serious than that of nitrogen. The pollution load index (PLI) of samples ranged from 4.01~24.72, the sediments of black-odor rivers were generally polluted by heavy metals. Compared with other polluted water bodies (not reached the pollution level of black-odor), the organic pollution and heavy metal pollution in the sediment of black-odor rivers was more serious.