A novel hybrid adsorbent (HA) composed of cellulose fiber, activated carbon, and anion exchange resin Dowex 1 x 8 was prepared for the preconcentration and separation of noble metals, namely, gold (Au), palladium (Pd) and platinum (Pt), in geological samples. The optimal experimental parameters, such as flow rate, sample volume and interfering ions, were investigated. The accuracy of the method was confirmed by added/found method for tap and sea water, and evaluated by analyzing certified reference materials with good agreement. Under the optimal experimental conditions, the detection limits (3 sigma criteria) of the developed technique were 0.008 ng mL(-1) (Au), 0.017 ng mL(-1) (Pd) and 0.014 ng mL(-1) (Pt) and the sample throughput reach to 30 samples every eight hours. Moreover, the adsorption capacity of HA for Au, Pd and Pt was determined to be 48.2, 35.9 and 29.8 mg g(-1), respectively. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.