Facilitated transport of oxygen through Co(II) and Mn(II) chelate membranes from poly(vinyl alcohol)/poly(N-salicylidene allyl amine) was investigated. As the membranes became chelated, oxygen diffusivity decreased and the solubility toward oxygen was enhanced. The oxygen permeability of the base poly(vinyl alcohol)/poly(N-salicylidene allyl amine) membrane was 2.6 x 10(-3) cm(3)(STP)cm/cm(2) cm Hg sec (barrer), and the selectivity toward oxygen was 2.2. As Co(II) was introduced into this membrane, oxygen permeability and oxygen selectivity increased to 2.82 x 10(-2) barrer and 8.5, respectively. The permeability and selectivity of Mn(II) chelate membrane were 3.28 x 10(-2) and 5, respectively. A major reason for the increased selectivity was the enhanced solubility of oxygen in chelate membrane upon chelation. The transport behavior of chelate membranes followed a dual-mode transport, and the parameters were estimated and compared between Co(II) and Mn(IT) membranes.