Electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) of rhodium with a tungsten tube atomizer has been investigated under optimum conditions (atomization temperature; 2230 C, purge gas; Ar 480 ml min−1+ H220 ml min−1, and pyrolysis temperature; 590 C). The absolute characteristic mass (the mass of element giving 0.0044 abs.) of rhodium by the atomizer was 86.5 pg and the detection limit was 16.5 ng ml−1(3S/N). The interferences caused by large amounts of interferents were evaluated. Al, Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Na, Pb and Zn severely interfered in the AA signal of rhodium. Ammonium phosphate, ascorbic acid, palladium nitrate, copper nitrate, lanthanum nitrate, thiocyanate and thiourea, well known as matrix modifiers were tested to eliminate the severe interferences. However, by the addition of these compounds, the rhodium signal was not recovered. The standard addition method was adapted for the determination of rhodium in biological materials. The recovery of spiked-rhodium in biological materials was in the range of 97.4 to 107%.