This work describes the development of a method for analysing alkylphenols (phenol, propylphenol to nonylphenol and bisphenol A) in water samples. The method uses GC-MS (gas chromatography – mass spectrometry), partially with a relatively new type of chromatography with high pressure and narrow (0.1 mm i.d.) columns. Work has also been done on an instrument for automatic water extraction, called the Esy-extractor. Alkylphenols belong to a group of substances with estrogenic effect and a method for quantitating the compounds in natural waters is therefore desirable. The method has been validated with respect to its limit of quantitation, reproducibility (precision) and accuracy. The reproducibility for phenol, methylphenol, propylphenol and butylphenol were 13%, 22%, 21% and 12% respectively. The other phenols and bisphenol A all showed reproducibility values lower than 10 %. The cause of the variations of the reproducibility values is discussed in the report. The limit of quantitation for the method was determined to 0.01 µg/l. Using the Esy-extractor requires a low sample volume, only a few millilitres. The automatic extraction means enormous potential for rationalizing analysis time as well as decreasing contamination risks by sample handling. When running the Esy-extractor problems with carry-over effects were observed. It was suggested that the Esy-extractor prototype that was used had contaminations of oil originating from the manufacturing process that were responsible for the carry-over effects working as a so called keeper.