Abstract Oxygen in zinc compounds was determined by a modification of the method of Schütze. Oxygen in some zinc compounds such as zinc oxide, zinc acetate and zinc oxalate could not be determined by the usual method. The carrier gas method of adding carbon was employed for the determination of total oxygen. Total oxygen could be determined by the addition of 5 mg of carbon to a sample boat and heating at 1000 °C. The determination was also carried out by the carrier gas method by addition of 2 mg naphthalene. As a result, total oxygen could be determined by the addition of 2 mg of naphthalene.