A novel method for the selective preconcentration of Pb in rainwater with DB-18-crown-6 -CTS hollow microbeads and its determination by GFAAS has been developed. Adsorption rates for Pb~(2+) were 98% at pH=5.5, and the adsorbed Pb~(2+) could be selectively eluted from DB-18-crown-6-CTS hollow microbeads with 5 mL of 2 mol·L~(-1) HCl. The detection limits(3σ, n=10) for Pb~(2+) was (0.085) μg·L~(-1). The relative standard deviation was less than 2.75% at the 0.2 μg·L~(-1) level. The method was applied to the ...