In this paper, a new HPLC method was established to determine the carbonyl compounds in air. As the absorbent, 2, 4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (2, 4-DNPH) reacted with carbonyls specifically, which form the corresponding 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazones, then analyzed by HPLC. The chromatographic conditions, the recovery rate, stability of samples, reagent blank, sampling efficiency were all studied systematically. The results showed that this established method had high sensitivity and good selectivity compared with other analytical methods, and it can determine ten carbonyl compounds in air in 26 min simultaneously. As the absorbent, 2, 4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (2,4-DNPH) reacted with carbonyls specifically, which form the corresponding 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazones, then analyzed by HPLC. The chromatographic conditions, the recovery rate, stability of samples, reagent blank, sampling efficiency were all studied systematically. The results showed that this established method had high sensitivity and good selectivity compared with other analytical methods, and it can determine ten carbonyl compounds in air in 26 min simultaneously.