Abstract Ascending paper chromatography of some pesticides and toxicants containing a tertiary amino group has been performed to record their mobilities in acidic, basic and saline waters and some common organic solvents, Several binary separations of these pollutants have been achieved. The important separations are summarized below: Amitrole from azobenzene, bavistin, calixin, 2,4-Lutidine, 2,6-Lutidine, N-ethylmorpholine, β-picoline, γ-picoline and quinoline; Azobenzene from bavistin, calixin, 2,4-Lutidine, 2,6-Lutidine, β-picoline, γ-picoline, pyridine and quinoline; Bavistin from 2,4-Lutidine, 2,6-Lutidine, β-picoline, γ-picoline and quinoline; and Quinoline from 2,4-Lutidine, 2,6-Lutidine, β-picoline, γ-picoline and N-ethylmorpholine from binary mixtures. An attempt at structure-activity-correlation reveals that the physical forces responsible for both the chromatographic behaviour as well as the toxicity are almost identical and the most important common physical interaction seems to be the hydroge...