Bioavailability of chlorobenzenes (CBs) in soils to microbial populations has implications for remediation of waste sites with long histories of contamination. Bioavailability of CB was assessed using mineralization assays for two types of wetland soils with contrasting properties. The rate and extent of CB mineralization were greater than predicted by mathematical models which assume instantaneous desorption followed by biodegradation. The freshly added CB was degraded with initial mineralization rates (IMRs) of 0.14 mu g L-1 h(-1) and 1.92 mu g L-1 h(-1) for marsh soil and wetland soil respectively. These values indicate that CB-degrading bacteria had an access to the sorbed CB. Mineralization assays were also performed for wetland soils after the CB was aged for 1, 7 and 31 days. The results revealed that even a desorption-resistant part of the sorbed CB was degraded although the degradation occurred at lower rates and to a lesser extent. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.