Ion-exchange absorptiometry combined with flow analysis has been applied to the determination of trace amounts of molybdenum(VI) in natural water and rock. By using a pretreatment column packed with Sephadex G-25 gel, molybdenum(VI) in a sample solution can be sorbed selectively on the gel at pH 3.5. The molybdenum(VI) in the column was desorbed with EDTA as the molybdenum(VI)-EDTA complex, and the solution was introduced into a Tiron solution stream. The yellow complex formed between molybdenum(VI) and Tiron in the flow system was then concentrated on a QAE-Sephadex A-25 anion exchanger packed in a flow-through silica micro-cell. The attenuation of incident light by the molybdenum(VI)-Tiron complex on the anion exchanger in the cell was continuously recorded with a spectrophotometer at 410 nm. The complex on the anion exchanger was easily desorbed with sodium nitrate, so the flow-through cell could be used repeatedly. The minimum amount that could be detected corresponded to 15 ng of molybdenum(VI). Molybdenum(VI) in three or four sample solutions could be determined within 1 h. © 1989.