The effect of low concentrations of lead on pre- and post-natal growth and development is a current concern. We describe a simple method of sample preparation for direct determination of lead in whole blood by Zeeman graphite-furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. This procedure improves analytical precision and accuracy of lead determinations at low concentrations as compared with published furnace data. At blood lead concentrations of 0.25, 1.98, and 3.76 mumol/L, within-run CVs were 3.2%, 1.8%, and 1.4% respectively; between-run CVs were 7.3%, 2.9%, and 2.2%. Accuracy, as demonstrated by analytical recovery, ranged from 99% to 102%. Our reproducibility/accuracy score in the 1989 Quebec interlaboratory comparison program was 96% compared with the target, second best of 66 participating laboratories.