Organic amine substances have a wide range of sources and complex properties, which have adverse effects on air quality and human health. Moreover, they are of great significance for the formation and subsequent growth of new particles in the atmosphere. Organic amines in the environment have an impact on the formation of new particles, aerosol acidity, and climate change. The composition, sources and formation processes of organic amine substances in fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) vary in different regions of China. Therefore, the processes involved in recent years have received increasing attention. Precise detection of organic amines in atmospheric particles is of great significance for in-depth analysis of their roles in the formation of new atmospheric particles, the transformation of aerosols, and potential health effects. This article systematically reviews the detection methods and distribution characteristics of small-molecule organic amines in atmospheric particles. The detection methods for small-molecule organic amines in atmospheric particles mainly include chromatography, mass spectrometry, and chromatography-mass spectrometry coupling technology. Chromatography focuses on separation, mass spectrometry focuses on qualitative and quantitative analysis, and chromatography-mass spectrometry coupling combines high separation efficiency with high sensitivity for structural analysis. By using these detection methods to explore the distribution characteristics of small-molecule organic amines in particulate matter in different cities, we found that there are differences in different regions and different seasons. From the perspective of the applicability and complementarity of the detection methods, the application characteristics of different analytical techniques in actual atmospheric environment research were also compared, and the future development direction of this field was perceptive in combination with typical atmospheric pollution scenarios in China.