Ethylenediaminetriacetate-bonded silica gel (ED3A-SG) was used for preconcentration of heavy metal ions prior to their determination by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). ED3A-SG was prepared by reacting silica gel with N-(trimethoxysilylpropyl)ethylenediaminetriacetate. Coastal seawater up to 2dm3, buffered at pH 5.0, were passed through a column filled with 250mg of ED3A-SG. Then the metal ions adsorbed were eluted with 10cm3 of 0.5mol dm-3 hydrochloric acid. The concentrate thus obtained was analyzed by ICP-AES.