The distribution of Sr-counterions around polyacrylate chains in aqueous solution was studied by anomalous small-angle X-ray scattering. Different ratios of the concentrations of SrCI2/[NaPA] reveal dramatic changes in the scattering curves. At the lower ratio the scattering curves indicate a coil like behavior, while at the higher ratio the scattering curves are contracted to smaller q-values, possibly caused by the collapse of the NaPA coil to pearl-like subdomains.