This report describes a simple method to synthesize PbS nanorods by aqueous chemical method under ambient conditions without the surface-capping molecules or structure-directing templates. X-ray diffraction studies revealed that the prepared sample is a polycrystalline powder crystallized in face centered cubic (fcc) PbS structure with the crystallites orientated preferentially along the (200) direction. The SEM analysis shows the formation of PbS nanorods of width 80 nm and length 410 nm. The compositional analysis confirms the presence of Pb and S. The optical absorption study of PbS nanostructures shows the blue-shift with respect to those of the bulk counterpart due to quantum confinement effect. Electrical measurement reveals that the prepared PbS nanorods exhibits the semiconducting nature. (C) 2014 The Society of Powder Technology Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. and The Society of Powder Technology Japan. All rights reserved.