An enrichment method for trace amounts of Ag(I) and Pb(II) has been established prior to their flame atomic absorption spectrometric determinations. The preconcentration/separation procedure is based on chelate formation of Ag(I) and Pb(II) with ammonium pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (APDC) and on retention of the chelates on cellulose nitrate membrane filter. The influences of some analytical parameters including pH and amounts of reagent, etc. on the recoveries of analytes were investigated. The effects of interferic ions on the quantitative recoveries of analytes were also examined. The detection limits (k = 3, N = 11) were 4.6 mu g L-1 for silver(I) and 15.3 Vg L-1 for lead(II). The relative standard deviations (R.S.D.) of the determinations for analyte ions were below 3%. The method was applied to environmental samples for the determination of analyte ions with satisfactory results (recoveries >95%). (C) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.