TBEIAnionic surfactants in water were determined by a spectrophotometric flow injection technique coupled with solvent extraction. The ion associate which formed between an anionic surfactant and an cationic azo dye was extracted into an organic solvent and the absorbance was measured. The carrier was distilled water, and the reagent solution contained an cationic azo dye and sodium sulfate, the pH of which being adjusted to 5 with acetate buffer. A phase separator with a poly(tetrafluoroethylene) porous membrane (0.8 µm pore size) was used to separate the organic phase. Six derivatives of cationic azo dyes and several extracting solvents were examined; a pair of 1-methyl-4-(4-diethylaminophenylazo)-pyridinium cation and chloroform turned out best. The sampling rate was 30 samples per hour. Calibration graphs were linear up to 2x106 M or 3x 10