The　detection　sensitivity　of　chlorine　(Cl)　and　sulfur　(S)　elements　is　poor　using　direct　laser-induced　breakdown　spectroscopy　(LIBS)　because　of　the　high　ionization　energy　of　Cl　and　S.　Therefore,　a　new　technique,　namely　indirect　laser-induced　breakdown　spectroscopy　(ID-LIBS),　was　proposed　to　improve　the　detection　sensitivity　of　Cl　and　S　elements.　The　method　detected　Cl　in　water　by　indirectly　detecting　the　excess　silver　(Ag)　after　the　precipitation　reaction　of　Ag　and　chloride.　Similarly,　the　method　indirectly　detected　S　in　water　by　detecting　the　excess　barium　(Ba)　after　the　precipitation　reaction　of　Ba　and　sulfate,　due　to　Ag　and　Ba　with　low　ionization　energy　and　easy　excitation.　The　lines　of　Ag　I　546.5　nm　and　Ba　I　553.5　nm　were　detected.　The　R2　values　of　0.999　and　0.997　were　obtained　for　Cl　and　S,　respectively.　The　limit　of　quantitation　(LoQ)　was　2　mg/L　for　Cl　and　5　mg/L　for　S.　The　detection　sensitivity　was　improved　by　about　three　orders　of　magnitude　compared　to　using　Cl　I　822.17　nm　and　S　I　921.28　nm.　The　results　showed　that　the　technique　of　indirect　LIBS　can　achieve　the　sensitive　detection　of　Cl　and　S　in　water　indicating　that　the　technique　has　tremendous　potential　for　element　analysis　of　water.　©　2020　Elsevier　B.V.