Bioavailableiron (Fe) can regulate the carbon cycle and affect the marine primary productivity once participates in the biogeochemical cycles, and indirectly influence global climate change. The key factor determining the bioavailability of Fe is the soluble Fe content, and the long-range transport of atmospheric aerosols is an important source of bioavailable Fe. Significant progress has been made to characterize the Fe and its solubility in different sources aerosols recently, including the observations of total and soluble Fe in distinct regions and the discussion on main factors controlling Fe solubility. Based on the above research results, we summarize the Fe mass concentrations and solubility data in different size-dependent particles at typical land and ocean sites around the world, and emphatically describe the main factors controlling Fe solubility in aerosols before depositing into the ocean, including the sources of Fe, atmospheric physical process, and atmospheric chemical and transport mixing process. The relationship and relative importance of various factors are further discussed. Finally we come up with some recommendations for future work of Fe in aerosols.