Results on an impaction-electrothermal atomization atomic absorption spectrometric system for the direct, and on a nearly real-time basis, determination of cadmium, copper, and manganese in the laboratory atmosphere are presented. Background levels for cadmium were 3 ng m−3, for copper were 100 ng m−3, and for manganese were 30 ng m−3and were found to increase with activity in the vicinity of the system. Addition of a connecting faceplate to the impactor allowed a more convenient and accurate method of standardization to be achieved.