A circular flame atomizer system using a quartz T flame adapator has been developed for the direct determination of mercury. A thermospray nebulizer was used as a sample introduction device to the atomizer. This design gave a sensitivity (1% absorption) of 0.20 ppm and detection limits of 10 ppb at 1.0 mL/min solvent flow at 253.7 nm. The absolute sensitivity was 25 ng and absolute detection limits was 1.5 ng.