The isotope effects of neodymium in Nd-glycolate ligand exchange system were studied by using ion exchange chromatography. The heavier isotopes HNd were clearly found to be enriched in the Nd-glycolate species in the solution phase. The degree of fractionation takes the order, 143Nd ⩽ 144Nd ⩽ 145Nd ⩽ 146Nd ⩽ 148Nd ⩽ 150Nd. The separation coefficients of neodymium isotopes, ε’s, were calculated from the observed isotopic ratios at the front and rear boundaries of the neodymium adsorption band. The separation coefficients of neodymium isotopes, ε’s, for the Nd-glycolate ligand exchange system were compared with those of Nd-malate and Nd-citrate, which indicated that the isotope effects of neodymium as studied by the three ligands takes the following direction Malate > Citrate > Glycolate. This order agrees with the number of available sites for complexation of each ligand. The plate height, HETP, values of Nd in Nd-ligand exchange systems were calculated and found to be of the same magnitude of Eu, while it is 10 times larger than Cu.