Using a flow injection analysis system a two-stage extraction method has been developed to extract metals automatically from aqueous solutions; cadmium, copper, iron, lead, nickel and zinc could be concentrated 25–30-fold without serious losses. However, cobalt gave only a 15-fold enrichment. The metals are concentrated into an aqueous solution totally free from the original matrix. The flow-rate of extract is about 200 µl min^–1, making the system compatible with the graphite furnace.