In the management of contaminated soils, the concept of the bioavailability of soil pollutants is frequently cited as a means of optimizing health risk assessment. However, there is some confusion between the concepts of bioavailability and bioaccessibility of pollutants in soils. This creates difficulties in, on the one hand, effectively integrating these concepts into site management and, on the other hand, selecting a measurement protocol. The objective of this review is first to define the concepts of bioavailability and bioaccessibility of soil pollutants to humans and to establish the links between these two parameters. Second, various protocols for characterizing these two parameters are described. Finally, international experience regarding the use of these two parameters in the effective management of contaminated sites is presented. (R.A.)