Zero-valent iron (ZVI) has found extensive application in the remediation of contaminated soil and groundwater. However, it is essential to remain vigilant about its potential adverse impacts. This study is based on a real field pollution incident, supplemented by experimental simulations. A chemical plant's leakage of nitrobenzene and ZVI led to contamination at the site, with some of the nitrobenzene transforming into aniline, a compound with increased mobility and toxicity. The peak concentrations of nitrobenzene and aniline in the soil were recorded at 2710 mg/kg and 145 mg/kg, respectively. In groundwater, the highest concentrations of nitrobenzene and aniline reached 132 mg/L and 723 μg/L, respectively, exhibiting similar pollution plume distributions. Laboratory simulations were conducted to examine the transformation process of nitrobenzene in both aqueous and soil media in the presence of ZVI and its oxidation products. These investigations also explored the influence of various factors on the conversion of nitrobenzene and the yield of aniline. The column experiment methodology was employed to investigate the migration and transformation pathways of nitrobenzene in simulated media and actual field soils augmented with iron. Upon introducing iron powder, the maximum concentrations of aniline in quartz sand columns and silty clay columns were observed to be 694 mg/L and 1068 mg/L, respectively. During the reaction process, elemental iron primarily acted as a reductant, converting nitrobenzene to aniline, while being oxidized to Fe