This session will focus on mechanistic and phenomenological descriptions of physical, chemical, and biological processes controlling the fate and transport of emerging contaminants in soils. Contaminants in soil and groundwater pose risks to human health and limit resilience of the environment, especially during times of water scarcity. The abundance and complexity of emerging contaminants being released into soil environments continues to increase. Limitations in our understanding of connectivity and coupling between physical, biological, and chemical processes that control contaminant fate and transport inhibit our ability to predict risks and to remediate effectively. New breakthroughs in geochemistry and biotechnology, as well as advances in understanding of intrinsic processes impacting contaminant behavior, are needed.