An automated vapor pressure method is used to obtain solubilization isotherms for trichloroethylene (TCE) in polyelectrolyte/surfactant complexes throughout a wide range of solute activities at 20 and 25 degrees C. The polyelectrolyte chosen is sodium poly(styrenesulfonate), PSS, and the surfactant is cetylpyridinium chloride or N-hexadecylpyridinium chloride, CPC. Data are fitted to the quadratic equation K=K-0(1 - alpha X + beta X(2)), which correlates the solubilization equilibrium constant (K) with the mole fraction of TCE (X) in the micelles or complexes at each temperature. Activity coefficients are also obtained for TCE in the PSS/CPC complexes as a function of X. The general solubilization behavior of TCE in PSS/CPC complexes resembles that of TCE in CPC micelles, as well as that of benzene or toluene in CPC micelles, suggesting that TCE solubilizes in ionic micelles both within the hydrocarbon micellar interior and near the micellar surface. The presence of the polyelectrolyte causes a small decrease in the ability of the cationic surfactant to solubilize TCE, while greatly reducing the concentration of the surfactant present in monomeric form. PSS/CPC complexes may be useful in colloid-enhanced ultrafiltration processes to purify organic-contaminated water.