Abstract: 21 autopsy liver samples were collected from normal adult men died accidentally in 4 areas with different dietary types of Hebei, Shanxi, Jiangxi and Sichuan in China, and the contents of 8 trace elements essential to human body, including Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Se and Zn, were determined with neutron activation analysis. The experimental results showed that the contents of 8 elements in various individuals were significantly different in the same sequence of Fe>Zn>Cu>Mn>Mo>Se>Cr>Co. The regional differences of some elements were significant, Co content in Shanxi, Cr in Sichuan, and Fe in Hebei were 1.7~2.0, 2.5~5.2, and 1.5~2.4 times, respectively, as much as those in the other areas. Cr content was significantly higher than the newly estimated value of ICRP reference man, and Fe, Cu and Mo were also slightly higher. Three kinds of certified standard materials were analyzed for quality control, and the analytical results of 8 elements conformed to the certified values.