A spectromeric study of the reaction of the Zr(IV) ions with Mandelazo I was carried out. Absorption spectra revealed that the maximum absorption of the zirconium compound appears at a wavelength (316 nm) different from the maxima of the reagent (253 and 390 nm). Beer-Lambert law is followed for zirconium concentrations of the order of 8.8x 10−5M (i.e. 8 μg Zr (IV)/mL). Possible interferences of ions such as Be(II), Cu(II), Zn(II), Al(III), Th(IV), U(VI), Mn(II), Fe(III), Co(II) and Ni(II) were investigated in connection with some masking agents such as SO42-and C2O42-. Also, the solid state Zr(IV)-Mandelazo I compound was prepared and characterized by nitrogen and thermogravimetric analyses.