The use of hollow fibre membrane microextraction in analytical chemistry has been increasing as the technique is a simple and efficient method for the extraction of trace organic compounds from environmental matrices. A simple liquid-phase microextraction technique using a hollow fibre membrane in conjunction with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry has been developed for the extraction and analysis of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), i.e. alpha-hexachlorocyclohexane (BHC), lindane, beta-BHC, heptachlor, aldrin, dieldrin, endrin, endosulfan, p,p'-DDD, p,p'-DDT, endrin aldehyde and methoxychlor, from seawater. The technique requires minimal sample preparation time and solvent consumption, and represents a significant advantage over conventional analytical methods. Optimum extraction conditions have been evaluated with respect to sample pH, salt content and stirring rate, as well as solvent type and extraction time. A high level of detection linearity (coefficient of >0.9995, less than 14% RSD) was obtained for OCPs over a range of analyte concentrations between 5 and 100 microg l(-1), with detection limits in the parts per trillion (ppt) to sub-parts per billion range. Comparison between liquid-phase microextraction with hollow fibre membrane and US Environmental Protection Agency Method 508 showed that the novel method has comparable detection limits of between 0.013 and 0.059 microg l(-1) in seawater.