A review of the excitation emission matrix spectroscopy (EEMs)applied in the analysis of chromophoricdissolved organic matter(CDOM)is presented. In this review, the important roles of CDOM in marine biogeochemical cycles and climate change have been motioned. The various advantages/disadvantages and limitations of traditional techniques and EEMs to characterize CDOM have been exposed. A concise summarize of the literature in this field over the past decade has been compiled. Finally, the future developments and problems to be solved of EEMs in CDOM were expected.