PURPOSE: To expand the lower limit of the quantitative determination of an element to be analyzed simply, inexpensively and accurately by correcting the emission spectral line intensity value inherent to each component element on the basis of a current value measured at every discharge.

CONSTITUTION: A sample to be analyzed is sit to a sample holding part and discharge is performed between a pair electrode 3 and the sample to be analyzed by a discharge unit 1 and a discharge current value at every discharge is measured by an ammeter. At the same time, the spectral line intensity of each element is measured at every discharge by the detector 7 of a spectral part. These two measured values (analogue values) are converted to digital values to be sent to a data processor 4. The spectral line strength measured by the data processor 4 is operated on the basis of the current value to be corrected. This correction value is stored in a calculator 5 in time series order at every discharge. The content of an element is calculated from the correction value of the spectral line intensity using the calibration curve preliminarily registered in the calculator 5.