Sorption of acetic acid from ethyl acetate and ethanol (95%) has been investigated using polymeric ion-exchange resins with a view for being possibly applied to the removal of acetic acid impurities from organic solvents. The resins have tertiary or quaternary amino functional groups on a styrene-divinyl benzene copolymer matrix. The equilibrium adsorption studies show very selective adsorption with a high loading capacity for acetic acid. The uptake of the acid from the organic solutions is by sorption reinforced by specific interaction with the functional groups on the polymer matrix. The specific interaction takes place by a hydrogen bonded complex formation between the acidic proton and the lone pair of electrons on the amino group. An efficient application of ion-exchange resins is indicated in purification of ethyl acetate by selective sorption of acetic acid. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.