Abstract: Trace metal elements are indispensable in marine ecosystem. Accurate determination of trace metal elements in seawater is of great significance to the structure and function of marine ecosystem. In order to reduce the matrix effect of seawater and improve the detemination accuracy, the pretreatment techniques for analysis of trace metal elements in seawater were reviewed, including chelation-solvent extraction, co-precipitation, dilution-direct injection, argon gas online dilution and solid phase extraction based on chelating resin. The advantages and disadvantages of these methods and their applicability were compared, and the development trend in this field was prospected (75 ref. cited).