Molybdate was adsorbed onto ion exchange resin based on poly(styrene-co-divinyl benzene) matrix with diethanolamine and 1-deoxy-1-(methylamino)-D-glucitol functional groups. The maximum sorption capacity was determined from Langmuir isotherms and breakthrough capacity from dynamic column sorption. The effects of pH, the initial form of the ion exchange resin, and of competitive sorption of sulphates and chlorides onto sorption capacities were determined. Ion exchange resin having 1-deoxy-1-(methylamino)-D-glucitol functional group showed higher breakthrough capacity and higher tolerance to competitive sorption of sulphates and chlorides than ion exchange resin having diethanolamine functional group. Molybdate was easily stripped from both ion exchange resins with 10 bed volumes of 1 mol/L NaOH solution.