Water-soluble　organic　compounds　(WSOCs)　have　received　extensive　attention　due　to　their　indistinct　chemical　components,　complex　sources,　negative　environmental　impact,　and　potential　health　effects.　To　the　best　of　our　knowledge,　until　now,　there　has　been　no　comprehensive　review　focused　on　the　research　progress　of　WSOCs.　This　paper　reviewed　the　studies　on　chemical　constituent　and　characterization,　distribution　condition,　sources,　environmental　impact,　as　well　as　the　potential　health　effects　of　WSOCs　in　the　past　13　years.　Moreover,　the　main　existing　challenges　and　directions　for　the　future　research　on　WSOCs　were　discussed　from　several　aspects.　Because　of　the　complex　composition　of　WSOCs　and　many　unknown　individual　components　that　have　not　been　detected,　there　is　still　a　need　for　the　identification　and　quantification　of　WSOCs.　As　modern　people　spend　more　time　in　indoor　environments,　it　is　meaningful　to　fill　the　gaps　in　the　component　characteristics　and　sources　of　indoor　WSOCs.　In　addition,　although　in　vitro　cell　experiments　have　shown　that　WSOCs　could　induce　cellular　oxidative　stress　and　trigger　the　inflammatory　response,　the　corresponding　mechanisms　of　action　need　to　be　further　explored.　The　current　population　epidemiology　research　of　WSOCs　is　missing.　Prospectively,　we　propose　to　conduct　a　comprehensive　and　simultaneous　analysis　strategy　for　concentration　screening,　source　apportionment,　potential　health　effects,　and　action　mechanisms　of　WSOCs　based　on　high　throughput　omics　coupled　with　machine　learning　simulation　and　prediction.　©　The　Author(s),　under　exclusive　licence　to　Springer-Verlag　GmbH　Germany,　part　of　Springer　Nature　2024.