A method has been established for enrichment of trace amounts of copper in aqueous solutions on an activated carbon column. Copper was quantitatively retained on a chromatographic column packed with activated carbon, after complexation with 1-nitroso-2-naphthol or hexamethylene dithiocarbamate and elution with 2 M HCl in acetone. The developed method was used for the determination of trace amounts of copper in water samples with good results. (Recoveries between 95-101%, relative standard deviations 3-5%)