In　this　study,　the　pyrolytic　behaviors　and　the　thermal-oxidation　decomposition　characteristics　of　organic　carbon　(OC),　pyrolytically　generated　elemental　carbon　(PEC)　and　black　carbon　(BC)　particles　have　been　studied　in　inert　and　air　atmosphere　respectively,　in　order　to　develop　a　new　PEC　correction　method　for　the　determination　of　BC　by　using　thermal　oxidation　method.　Our　results　indicated　that:　1)　a　part　of　OC　can　be　removed　by　heating　it　at　400　degrees　C　in　inert　atmosphere　and　another　part　of　OC　was　charred　to　form　PEC,　whereas,　the　weight　of　BC　particles　approximately　keeps　no　change　in　the　same　conditions.　2)　PEC　and　BC　began　to　decompose　at　a　similar　temperature　in　air　atmosphere.　However,　the　decomposition　rate　of　PEC　is　quite　different　from　that　of　BC　in　air　atmosphere　and　the　difference　varied　with　the　temperature.　As　maximum,　the　decomposition　rate　of　PEC　is　5.64　times　faster　than　that　of　BC　particles　at　500　degrees　C　in　air　atmosphere.　Based　on　the　difference　of　the　decomposition　rate　between　PEC　and　BC,　a　new　method　of　PEC　correction　was　developed　for　the　thermal　oxidation　method.　With　the　help　of　the　new　PEC　correction　method　and　thermal　analyzer,　we　successfully　determined　OC　and　BC　concentrations　in　actual　soot　sample　and　artificial　soot　samples.　The　results　obtained　with　our　PEC　correction　method　are　consistent　well　with　the　real　value　or　those　analyzed　with　thermal-optical　method,　suggesting　that　the　novel　PEC　correction　method　have　a　high　accuracy.　(C)　2011　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.