A potentiometric stripping method for a direct measurement of cadmium in various natural water samples using a Stripping analyzer M1 (designed and manufactured in Serbia) unit has been developed. In order to ascertain optimum conditions for the determination of the effect of the mercury time electrodeposition, the electrolysis potential and the solution stirring rate of the cadmium analytical signal have been examined. Linearity of the cadmium analytical signal was achieved within the wide range of the mass concentrations, from 1 mu g/L to 15 mu g/L A detection limit of 0.10 mu g/L was obtained, with a reproducibility of 3.55% expressed as the coefficient of variation. The accuracy of the method was confirmed by parallel analyses by flameless atomic absorption spectrophotometry as the reference method. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.