Abstract: GF-AAS was applied to the determination of lead in the food additive (NH4Cl).Nitric acid was used as matrix modifier and to raise ashing temperature.Under the optimized experimental condition,linear relationship between values of absorbance and mass concentration of lead was obtained within 50 μg L-1,with detection limit (3S/N) of 19 pg.The proposed method was used in the the analysis of the food additive NH4Cl.The values of recovery found by standard addition method were in the range of 104.3%-108.3%,and values of RSD′s (n=11) found were in the range of 1.79%-5.80%.