The city of Poznań is located in west-central Poland. With over 578,900 inhabitants it is one of the biggest industrial centres in Poland. The aim of this study was to determine distribution of mercury in bottom sediments and soil from Poznań. Total mercury concentrations have been determined in bottom sediments (ponds, lakes, streams and rivers) and soil samples collected in 2003 from Poznań. Mercury was determined using the cold vapour atomic fluorescence spectrometry method (CV-AFS). Total mercury concentration in the bottom sediments was 97 ±70 ng/g dry weight (range 29-283). Average total mercury concentration in the soil from urban areas was 146 ± 130 ng/g dry weight (range 17-746). The results of the study have shown that mercury distribution in the samples of water and bottom sediments, collected from various sites in Poznań, is relatively uniform. In contrast to the above, the concentration of mercury in the soil samples varies over a relatively large range. The soils were grouped according to the present land use, i.e. lawn and meadow soils, urban forests soils, soils of not current agricultural use and agricultural soils.