Abstract: ICP-AES was applied to the determination of Cu,Zn,Pb and Ni in poplar leaves.Optimum conditions of operation of instrument and of sample digestion were studied and the following results were obtained: ① lifting rate of solution: 2.4 mL·min-1;② presure of atomization chamber: 2.07×105Pa;③ observation height: 16 mm (on coil);④ sample digestion: 1 mL of conc,HNO3 used for digestion of 0.3 g of sample.The proposed method has been applied to the analysis of a CRM (GBW 07604) sample,the values of relative error of the 4 elements were in the range of 0.54%-9.3%,and values of recovery were in the range of 97.9%-101.0%.