Abstract. The sorption of 14 metal ions on silica gel impregnated with a mixture of Aliquat 336 and Eriochrome Blue SE was investigated. It was found that the sorption behaviour depends upon the species and the pH of the loading solution. Alkali metal ions were not retained under any of the investigated conditions. The retained metal ions can be eluted with dilute solutions of hydrochloric or perchloric acid without significant elution of the chelating reagent from the sorbent. The sorbent was used for the separation of metal ion mixtures by column-extraction chromatography and for additional purification of some salt solutions from trace amounts of Zn, Cd, Pb and Cu. The effectiveness of purification was confirmed by anodic stripping voltammetry.Key words: Eriochrome Blue SE, chelating sorbent, extraction chromatography, purification of alkali metal salts.The determination of trace elements often requires their preconcentration and separation from a matrix of macroamounts of other metals [1]. Selective precolumns have been used for on-line concentration with selective elution of interfering matrix components [2]. Column switching, reinjection and suppressor techniques have been employed for the separation and matrix elimination of metals [3]. In the trace analysis of metal ions an iraportant role is played by solid and liquid ion exchangers and their derivatives-the so-called chelating sorbents. Many examples of such sorbents and their applications can be found in the monographs by Myasoedowa and Savvin [4], Mizuike [5] and Braun and Ghersini [6].Chelating sorbents can be obtained in a very simple manner by the impregnation of silica gel with water-insoluble ion-pairs composed of a cation of liquid anionexchanger-Aliquat 336 (methyltricapryl.ammonium chloride) and an anion of a sulfonated chelating reagent [7-1, since it was found that many such reagents are very strongly extracted into solutions of liquid anion-exchangers in organic solvents [8].