The uptake of iodine by baker's yeast, serum, E. coli and Staph. aureus from aqueous dilutions of an iodine non‐ionic surface‐active agent complex was compared with that from aqueous dilutions of an ethanol and potassium iodide solution. The form of adsorption isotherms depended upon the iodine system and the substrate. A characteristic of all isotherms was the high affinity at low iodine concentrations. Except where high ethanol concentrations remained, uptake was greater from the ethanol: potassium iodide dilutions. The pH of the iodine system also influenced the uptake, the effect varying with the iodine system and the substrate.