Ice and snow layers are the main information recorders for global changes. The widespread carbonaceous im purities exist in three states of gas, liquid and solid in the layers. The paper summarizes the development of the studies on these carbonaceous impurities for climatic and environmental im plications. The following impurities are discussed as greenhouse gases, high soluble organic acids with low molecular weight, organic pollutants from activities of mankind, spores and pollens, and organic matter with high carbon numbers. Some important study trends on the impurities are presented.