The content of copper in the soil of two allotment gardens in Lodz and a forest area near Lodz were
determined. Copper was determined by an adapted extraction - spectrophotometric method in the form of
a complex with sodium(I) diethyldithiocarbamate. The influence of the extraction solvent, a masking agent and
interfering elements (Fe(III) and Cr(IH)) on determination of copper by this method was examined. Possibilities of
elimination of the extraction stage by using a protective colloid for spectrophotometric determination of copper in
soil were investigated.