Glass-plate sampling during 1988-1999 in Daya Bay and suitable corresponding analytical methods were used for the measurement of dissolved trace metals, dissolved organic carbon, biological oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, salinity of the sea surface microlayer and subsurface water. Apparent enrichment mechanism and diurnal variation have been revealed for dissolved trace metals in the microlayer in Daya Bay. The more dissolved organic matter was enriched in the sea surface microlayer, the more dissolved trace metals were enriched in the layer. The organic matter played an important role in the enrichment process. The diurnal variations of dissolved trace metals showed that their concentration was apparently inversely related to the tide activity that the concentration was low during rising tide, but high during falling tide. The behavior of dissolved trace metals expressed by the diurnal variation was clearly opposite to that of salinity. Glass-plate sampling during 1988-1999 in Daya Bay and suitable corresponding analytical methods were used for the measurement of dissolved trace metals, dissolved organic carbon, biological oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, salinity of the sea surface microlayer and subsurface water. Apparent enrichment mechanism and diurnal variation have been revealed for dissolved trace metals in the microlayer in Daya Bay. The more dissolved organic matter was enriched in the sea surface microlayer, the more dissolved trace metals were enriched in the layer. The organic matter played an important role in the enrichment process. The diurnal variations of dissolved trace metals showed that their concentration was apparently inversely related to the tide activity that the concentration was low during rising tide, but high during falling tide. The behavior of dissolved trace metals expressed by the diurnal variation was clearly opposite to that of salinity.