A routine method to determine the presence of partly environmentally relevant trace elements Al, Be, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni and Pb in lung tissue is described. The stages of process are preparation of samples conforming to the analysis material, decomposition, and subsequent trace determination by atomic absorption spectrometry. The results obtained from 125 samples show that chemical analysis is an effective aid in identifying and substantiating occupational risks.