The　contents　of　lead,　cadmium,　chromium,　copper,　and　nickel　were　determined　in　25　tea　samples　from　China,　including　green,　yellow,　white,　oolong,　black,　Pu＇er,　and　jasmine　tea　products,　using　high　-resolution　continuum　source　graphite　furnace　atomic　absorption　spectrometry.　The　methods　used　for　sample　preparation,　digestion,　and　quantificational　analysis　were　established,　generating　satisfactory　analytical　precisions　(represented　by　relative　standard　deviations　ranging　from　0.6%　to　2.5%)　and　recoveries　(98.91-101.32%).　The　lead　contents　in　tea　leaves　were　0.48-10.57　mg/kg,　and　80%　of　these　values　were　below　the　maximum　values　stated　by　the　guidelines　in　China.　The　contents　of　cadmium　and　chromium　ranged　from　0.01　mg/kg　to　0.39　mg/kg　and　from　0.27　mg/kg　to　2.45　mg/kg,　respectively,　remaining　in　compliance　with　the　limits　stipulated　by　China＇s　Ministry　of　Agriculture.　The　copper　contents　were　7.73-63.71　mg/kg;　only　64%　of　these　values　complied　with　the　standards　stipulated　by　the　Ministry　of　Agriculture.　The　nickel　contents　ranged　from　2.70　mg/kg　to　13.41　mg/kg.　Consequently,　more　attention　must　be　paid　to　the　risks　of　heavy　metal　contamination　in　tea.　The　quantitative　method　established　in　this　work　lays　a　foundation　for　preventing　heavy　metal　toxicity　in　human　from　drinking　tea　and　will　help　establish　regulations　to　control　the　contents　of　heavy　metals　in　tea.　Copyright　(C)　2015,　Food　and　Drug　Administration,　Taiwan.　Published　by　Elsevier　Taiwan　LLC.　This　is　an　open　access　article　under　the　CC　BY-NC-ND　license　(http.//creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).