Solvent impregnated resins (SIRs) that are stabilized by coating with vinyl sulphone crosslinked poly(vinyl alcohol) have been employed for the removal of chromate ions from an aqueous solution at pH 4.0. Batch sorption studies have shown that both uncoated and coated SIRs containing Aliquat 336 are effective for the removal of chromate ions from aqueous solution when an optimum concentration of SIRs is used in the solution. A series of batch-mode sorption-elution studies was performed to compare uncoated and coated-crosslinked SIRs in cyclic operation. Elution of chromate from SIRs was quantitatively achieved with a mixed 1 M NaOH-1 M NaCl solution. The sorption performance of coated SIRs remained almost constant after seven sorption-washing-elution-washing cycles whilst a decrease in sorption performance of uncoated SIRs was observed. However, the kinetic performance of uncoated SIRs was more favourable for chromate removal. However, it was possible to attain rapid kinetics by decreasing the degree of crosslinking of the resin coating. In addition, pre-conditioning of coated resins using a mixed I M NaOH-NaCl solution prior to sorption considerably enhanced the kinetic performance of coated SIRs. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.