A sensitive method for the quantitative determination of volatile halogenated hydrocarbons in water is described. Water sample is purged with nitrogen gas, and the gas is passed through a column of an adsorbent material (Tenax GC). The column traps and concentrates the volatile halogenated hydrocarbons, which are then desorbed from the column by heating under a gas flow. The desorbed halogenated hydrocarbones are quantitatively determined by a gas chromatograph equipped with an electron capture detecter. By this method, 0.1 μg/l of volatile halogenated hydrocarbons, such as chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, 1, 1, 1-trichloroethane, monobromodichloromethane, trichloroethylene, and tetrachloroethylene, can be determined quantitatively.