This paper describes a one-tube sample preparation method for blood lead determination which is relatively simple to perform and which does not require background correction for matrix effects. The red cells are lysed with a dilute potassium cyanide solution and heat. A citrate buffer is added, and the solution is then extracted with ammonium pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate and methyl isobutyl ketone. An aliquot of the MIBK layer is applied to a carbon rod atomizer and the peak at 217.0 nm is measured. The method demonstrates an overall in-run reproducibility of 1.39 microgram/100 mL blood standard deviation, a between-run standard deviation of 2.27 microgram/100 mL blood and a sensitivity of 0.012 microgram/mL/1% nm.