A simple method for the direct determination of trace molybdenum in low alloy steel and pure iron with selectivity and sensitivity is reported. In the presence of TritonX-100 and sulphuric-phosphoric acid medium, a new chromogenic reagent dimethoxyhydroxyphenyl-flurone (DMHPF) forms a red complex with molybdenum(VI). The molar absorptivity is obeyed from the range of 0˜ 8 μg/25 ml for molybdenum(VI). Most of metal ions and 35000-fold amounts of iron do not interfere with the determination of molybdenum. The proposed method has been successfully used for the determination of trace amounts of molybdenum in steel and pure iron specimens.