Soil and sediments are integral parts of the earth and play a major role in food security. The elements in soil have a significant influence on the soil quality and are closely related to human and environmental health. Besides the nutritional elements (Al, Ba, Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, P and Zn) that are necessary for plant growth, other trace elements in soil (Cd, Co, Cr, Pb, Mo, Ni, V, etc.) are also considered as heavy metals that can be absorbed by plants through their roots, affecting food safety and posing a potential risk to human health. Nowadays, as soil pollution has become a global concern, routine soil testing to monitor the elemental content in agricultural soils is crucially important in controlling soil pollution, maintaining ecosystem balance and protecting human health. Among the analytical techniques, atomic absorption spectroscopy (AA), inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) and ICP mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) are commonly applied for elemental analysis in soil. Each technique has its advantages and limitations; the most suitable technique can be chosen based on the number of elements to be analyzed and their concentrations, sample throughput requirements, and the application purpose.