Structure transition from aragonite to vaterite and calcite with the help of anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS) was investigated, respectively, by a hydrothermal method. When the experimental temperature was controlled at 90 degrees C, aragonite of crystal calcium carbonate was transformed into vaterite with the assistance of SDBS. Pure vaterite was obtained as the concentration of SDBS reaches to 2.5 mM. When the experimental temperature was controlled at 120 and 150 degrees C, respectively, aragonite was transformed into calcite, and Pure calcite was obtained as the concentrations of SDBS were equal to 1.0 and 2.5 mM, respectively. Possible formation mechanism of different CaCO3 polymorphs was proposed based on the obtained experimental results. (c) 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.