Book excerpt: This book demonstrates the usefulness of NMR spectroscopy for a wide variety of applications in environmental science and technology. It contains a wealth of information relating to instrumentation, sample preparation, and data interpretation. The book is divided into three sectionsdiscussing contaminant interaction, solution and condensed-phase characterization, and nutrients and natural organic matter characterization. In addition to these in-depth chapters, an introductory overview provides the basic principles of solution and solid-state NMR spectroscopy. Each sectionalso contains a discussion of advances in each area directly attributable to NMR spectroscopy. A final chapter suggests future directions for the deployment of this powerful technology in environmental science.