The Hitachi Zeeman atomic absorption spectrometer system is used to evaluate the influence of observation height and C2H2flow rate upon the atomic absorption sensitivity (slope of calibration curve) and upon the atomic absorption signals for 6 elements in an C2H2/Air flame and for 3 elements in an C2H2/N2O flame. Fuel-rich conditions result in greater absorption signals and sensitivities in all cases even though there is a significant temperature drop. Optimal observation heights for each case are evaluated. Greater linearity of analytical calibration curves occurs for fuel-rich conditions under Zeeman background correction than under no background correction. The Zeeman atomic absorptionflamespectrometer should find more use in the future.