A method for the determination of trace amounts of copper with a chemically modified carbon press-formed electrode is described. Copper could be accumulated at the electrode by complexing with benzoin oxime in ammonia buffer, then reduced at a constant potential of -0.4 V (vs. SCE) in nitric acid solution. Finally, a well-defined stripping peak could be obtained by scanning the potential in a positive direction. The response depends on the concentration of copper and accumulation time. For an accumulation time of 5 min the detection limit is about 1 ng/ml and the linear range is from 2 ng/ml to 4000 ng/ml, with a relative standard deviation of 5%. Many common metal ions have little or no effect on the determination of copper. The recommended procedure was applied to the determination of trace amounts of copper in natural water, and the results are in agreement with those of atomic-absorption spectrometry.