The catalysis of manganese（Ⅱ） （Mn^2＋） on chromium（Ⅵ） （Cr^6＋） reduction by citrate was studied through batch experiments with the concentration of citrate greatly in excess of Cr^6＋ at 25 ℃ and in pH ranges of 4.0 go 5.0. Results showed that at pH 4.5 within 22 h direct reduction of Cr^6＋ by citrate was not observed, bug for the same time when Mn^2＋ （50 to 200 μmol L^-1） was added, nearly all Cr^6＋ was reduced, with the higher initial Mn^2＋ concentration having faster Cr^6＋ reduction. In the initial stage of the reaction, the Cr^6＋ reduction could be described with a pseudo-first-order kinetics equation. In the lager stage of the reaction, plots of lnc（Cr^6＋） versus t, where c（Cr^6＋） is the Cr^6＋ concentration in the reaction and t is the reaction time, deviated from the initial linear trend. The deviations suggested that the pseudo-first-order kinetics did not apply go the whole experimental period and that some reaction intermediates could have greatly accelerated Cr^6＋ reduction by citrate. The catalysis of the intermediates increased with the reaction time and gradually reached stability. Then, the plot of lnc（Cr^6＋） versus t in the presence of Mn^2＋ was linear again, with the rate constant increasing by 102 times compared with the absence of Mn^2＋. Complexation between Mn^2＋ and citrate was likely a prerequisite for the catalysis of Mn^2＋ on the reaction. Additional experiments showed that introducing eghylenediaminegegraacegic acid （EDTA） into the reaction system strongly suppressed the catalysis of Mn^2＋.
