Objective: To establish a method for determination of chromium in gelatin empty capsules which were digested in furnace by AAS. Method: The solution of gelatin empty capsules which digested by microwave or dissolved directly with water was injected into the graphite furnace of AAS

and determined the content of chromium with different temperature-programmed. Result: The calibration curves of both methods for chromium standard solution were prepared covering the concentration ranges of 4 to 40 μg·L-1. The correlation coefficients were all 0.999 9.The average recoveries of furnace digestion were in range of 96.2% to 101.2% and the RSD were 1.8% to 3.3%. The average recoveries of microwave digestion were in range of 97.51% to 103.1% and the RSD was 3.4% to 5.3%. The sample solution which would be injected directly and digested in furnace was stable within 4 hours. Conclusion: The results which determined by graphite furnace digestion and microwave digestion were consistent. This new method is easy

accurate and suitable for screening the exceeded content of chromium in the large quantities of gelatin empty capsules.