Synthetic structural polymers in plastics are used ubiquitously and are indispensable for our daily lives. However, most of these polymers are highly persistent and accumulate in the environment if improperly disposed of after use. This accumulation of plastic has triggered a scientific discussion about potential associated risks for humans and the environment. In contrast to structural polymers, the environmental fate and potential persistence of water-soluble polymers have received much less attention and remain poorly studied and understood. Yet, water-soluble polymers are used in many applications, which result in a direct release of these polymers into the environment (e.g., water-soluble polymers in agricultural spray formulations). Akin to structural polymers, such emissions are problematic if the water-soluble polymers are persistent and accumulate over time. One promising solution to overcome accumulation and potentially associated ecological risks is to replace conventional with biodegradable, water-soluble polymers. Our research focuses on the fate of water-soluble polymers in soils and the elucidation of adsorption and transport processes affecting biodegradation. In this contribution, we report on systematic analyses of the forces driving adsorption of six different water-soluble polymers (Dextran, Diethylaminoethyl-dextran. Carboxymethyl-dextran, Poly(ethylene glycol), Poly-L-Lysine, Poly(acrylic acid)) to silica and iron-oxide surfaces, two minerals common to most soils. The polymers were fluorescently labelled to follow adsorption and transport in packed columns at low, environmentally relevant polymer concentrations. The effects of solution pH and ionic strength (IS) on adsorption to silica were studied using batch solution depletion experiments and surface adsorption techniques, including quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring and optical waveguide lightmode spectroscopy. Transport of these polymers in porous media was determined in water-saturated sand- and iron oxide-coated sand (IOCS) -columns, followed by fitting the polymer breakthrough curves using the advection-dispersion equation with a Langmuir adsorption term. Besides electrostatic interactions between the polymers and the mineral surfaces, polymer conformations in the adsorbed states and hydrogen bonding appear to determine adsorption capacities and, therefore, the extent of polymer transport through columns. The implications of the findings for the fate of water-soluble polymers in soils will be highlighted.