A method is described for the determination by solid phase spectrophotometry (SPS) of trace amounts of vanadium in natural water and crude petroleum samples. The procedure is based on fixation on a dextran-type anion exchanger of the complex V(IV)-Eriochrome Cyanine R. The absorbance of the gel, at 563 and 750 nm, packed in a 1 mm cell, is measured directly. Vanadium can be determined in the 0.6-25.0 mug l(-1) range with a relative standard deviation of 2.2%. The comparison of the SPS method and the gallic acid persulphate method shows that the linearity, analytical sensitivity and precision were better for the SPS method, and that the latter method has lower detection and quantification limits than the gallic acid persulphate method.