Exploring migration and diffusion for pollutants across the sediment-water interface is important for understanding the biogeochemical cycles of pollutants and assessing the environmental quality of lake ecosystems. In this review, we reviewed studies on "sediment-water interface" in the past decades, and illustrated the vertical structures and function of diffusive boundary layer (DBL) of the sediment-water interface. Then, we presented the multi-dimensional distribution (e.g. Distribution of 1-D verticality, 2-D plane, and 3-D space) of pollutants and diffusion process across the sediment-water interface. Also, we listed some key factors inffluencing diffusive process (such as temperature, dissolve oxygen or redox potential, salinity or ionic strength, sediment composition, coexistence of pollutants, dissolved organic matter, hydrodynamics, bio-turbation, microorganism and other factors). Some recent advances in the measurements of the pollutant fflux across the sediment-water interface were summarized. Finally, demands and challenges about the migration and diffusion for pollutants across the sediment-water interface in future research are proposed.