Öz Two collectors, lead(II) hepthyldithiocarbamate, Pb(HPDTC)2, and cobalt(III) hepthyldithiocarbamate, Co(HPDTC)3, for colloidal precipitate flotation of Cd in traces from water matrices were proposed. After flotation Cd was determined by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS). The optimal conditions for effective Cd flotation performed separately by each collector were established. The results of ETAAS analyses are compared with those obtained by the method of inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. The ETAAS limit detection of Cd by Pb(HPDTC)2 is 0.0048 µg/l, while by Co(HPDTC)3 is 0.003 µg/l