A method based on flash-combustion of the sample in a flow of temporarely oxygen-enriched helium, catalytic oxidation and reduction of the combustion gases within the same reactor, gas-chrom- matographic separation and thermal-conductivity detection of the end-products, has been developed in order to determine C-H-N-S simultaneously in organic and inorganic substances, with a 0.1–2 mg sample. To develop this method, optimization of analytical parameters was necessary because of the chemical and physical behaviour of oxides of sulphur in the analyser. Therefore flashcombustion in a tin container, use of a tungstic oxide oxidative layer close to a copper reductive layer, setting the copper temperature at 850° C and selective halogen adsorption are the main features. The temperature of 850° C for the copper gives a quantitative yield of SO2 in spite of the reaction between sulphur oxides and cupric oxide, and also gives quantitative reduction of the nitrogen oxides. The individual components of the combustion mixture are separated by means of a Porapak QS column and detected in the sequence Na, CO2, H2O and SO2, the signals being automatically integrated and printed. Detector response for SO2 is linear from someμg up to 10 mg.