It is shown that sorption isotherms of Fe(III) containing ions from Fe-2(SO4)(3) solutions on the strongly basic anion exchangers AV-17 and Varion-AD are well described by Langmuir's equations. Almost all sorption centers of the polymers are energetically homogeneous towards Fe(III) containing ions. The maximum temperature dependence of sorption was found to be about 50 degreesC. The Mossbauer spectra of the Varion-AD retaining Fe(III) containing ions from solution at 30 and 50 degreesC showed the existence of the Fe(III) ions in a single electronic state, i.e., there was an absence of different kinds of Fe(III) compounds. The sorption of Fe(III) containing ions on the polymers essentially decreases with increasing the ionic strength of the Fe-2(SO4)(3) solution on adding calculated amounts of KNO3, NaNO3, NaClO4 or Na2SO4. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.