BACKGROUND: Equilibrium studies were carried out with the aim of finding the basic design parameters for ion exchange plants using a glycerol phase obtained from biodiesel production. The uptake of sodium and potassium ions on a strongly acidic ion exchanger, Amberlite IR-120, in the proton form from glycerol/water mixtures has been studied. The effect on the selectivity towards sodium of the percentage of water in glycerine/water mixtures on the macroporous resin Amberlite 252 has been analyzed. Finally, chloride removal by a strongly basic anionic-exchange resin Amberlite IRA-420 at three different temperatures has been studied.