Department of Chemistry, Visva-Bharati, Santiniketan-731 235 Department of Chemistry, Durgapur Government College, Durgapur Manuscript received 12 November 1986, accepted 5 June 1987 Electrophoresis of 21 metal ions on hydrous zirconium oxide impregnated papers have been carried out Five background electrolytes were used at fixed voltages and time intervals. On the basis of the differential mobilities of the ions, which depends on the ion-exchange properties of hydrous zirconium oxide and the nature of the complexes formed with the electrolytes, some useful binary and ternary separations have been achieved.