A method was developed for the spectrophotometric determination of osmium in the presence of ruthenium by means of diantipyrinylpropylmethane. The method permits determination 2 to 20 mu g/ml of osmiurn in the presence of up to 40 mg/ml of ruthenium. Rhodium and palladiurn do not interfere. Platinum and palladium irterfere with osmium determination. (auth)