This paper reports on a novel procedure for determining trace element abundances (REE and Y, Cr, Mn, Co) in seawater by inductively coupled plasma sector field mass spectrometry (ICP-SFMS). The procedure uses a combination of pre-concentration using co-precipitation onto magnesium hydroxides and addition of thulium spike. The validity of the method was assessed onto 25 ml volumes of certified reference materials (NASS- and CASS-4) and in house seawater standard. Procedural blanks were determined by applying the same procedure to aliquots of seawater previously depleted in trace elements by successive Mg(OH)(2) co-precipitations, yielding estimated contributions to the studied samples better than 1.1% for all elements, with the exception of Cr (<3.3%) and Co (up to 8%). The reproducibility of the method over the six month duration of the study was smaller than 11% RSD for all the studied elements. Results obtained for NASS-5 and CASS-4 agree well with published working values for trace elements. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.