Abstract: ICP-AES was applied to the determination of lead in free-cutting steel.The sample was dissolved with mixed acid of HNO3 and HCl(1+1).Wavelength of 220.353 nm was selected as analytical spectral line for determination of Pb in sample solution.Linear relationship between values of spectral line intensity and mass concentration of Pb was obtained in the range of 2.00-20.00 mg·L-1,with lower limit of determination (10S/N) of 0.03 mg·L-1.Standard samples (GSBH 40064-93 and GSBH 40061-93) were analyzed by the proposed method,values of recovery found by standard addition method were in the range of 97.1%-99.1%,with values of RSD′s (n=11) less than 0.8%.