EDTA and DTPA complexes of terbium and europium are excited at wavelengths below 250 nm. producing the typical lanthanide emission through energy transfer from the complex to the coordinated metal. This allows determination of these rare earth ions in water without solvent extraction, the use of synergistic agents, or aromatic sensitizers. Terbium-EDTA has the most efficient energy transfer, 31%, giving a 165-fold emission enhancement and a limit of detection of 6 × 10−7M. Calibration curves are linear over a concentration range spanning three orders of magnitude. The characteristic lanthanide ion emission is obtained in all cases, but the excitation of the complexes is pH dependent, showing intensity increases up to pH 12. Mild interference by alkali and alkaline earth metals was overcome by increasing the ligand concentration, but transition metal interference was more severe. Only minor enhancement was observed at higher ligand/metal ratios.