It has been established that direct uptake of (at least some) trace metals from sediments contributes to metal concentrations in benthic organisms. Important controls on metal uptake from sediment are the concentration of the exposure, the partitioning of the metals among components of the sediment, and the redox potential of the sediment. Important problems in ecology, physiology, geochemistry and biogeochemistry remain unresolved, however, and a concentrated interdisciplinary research effort will be necessary before a complete understanding of the fate and impact of sediment-bound metals will be possible.