A new catalytic kinetic spectrophotometric method for the determination of trace amount of chromium (VI) in microemulsion medium has been developed. The method is based on the catalytic effect of chromium (VI) on the oxidation of nuclear fast red in the presence of Tween-80 microemulsion and HAc-NaAc buffer solution (pH = 5.2). The linear ranges are in the range of 0 approximately 0.0480 microg mL(-1) of Cr (VI) at 528 nm and the detection limit is 1.56x10(-9)g mL(-1). The method has been applied in determination of Cr (VI) in water and food samples with satisfactory results. The relative standard deviation is less than 4.6 % and the recovery is 93.5 approximately 104 %.