The equilibrium partitioning of lipophilic ion-exchanger salts from ion-selective polymeric membrane electrodes (ISEs) and its possible effect on the lower detection limit of these sensors is described. Predictions are made on the basis of various parameters, including the knowledge of tetraphenylborate potassium salt partitioning constants, the selectivity of ionophore-free ion-exchanger membranes, and ionophore stability constants in the membrane. Ion-exchanger lipophilicities are significantly increased if the membrane contains an ionophore that strongly binds the primary ion. Predicted detection limits are on the order of 10(-5)-10(-8) M for ionophore-free membranes, and may reach levels as low as 10(-18) M with adequate ionophores in the membrane. Experiments are performed for well-described lead-selective membranes containing different tetraphenylborate derivatives, and detection limits appear to be independent of the ion-exchanger used. However, they are much higher if a more hydrophilic carborane cation-exchanger is incorporated in the membrane. The first finding confirms recent theory, which states that transmembrane ion fluxes, given by a small level of ion-exchange at the sample side by interfering ions, normally dictate the detection limit of these sensing systems. Predicted detection limits on the basis of ion-exchanger leaching alone are here listed for a number of analytically relevant cases. For potassium-selective electrodes containing BME-44 and tetraphenylborate as ion-exchanger, the experimental detection limits are in agreement with predicted values. These results suggest that the detection limit of many current ISEs for ultratrace level analysis are, in optimal cases, dictated by transmembrane ion fluxes; however, because improved chemical solutions are being developed to reduce such effects, simple ion-exchanger partitioning may indeed become an important mechanism that can give higher detection limits than practically desired, and should not be ruled out.