The optimum conditions of nitrogen determination near the surface of nitriding steel using
15
N (p
αγ
)
12
C nuclear reaction have been investigated. The detection limit of nitrogen for nitriding steel is about 0.03wt% at incident proton energy
E
p
=1MeV. The practical measurements have shown that the surface nitrogen content is (9.1+0.6) wt% for the 40 Cr steel sample placed in the middle of a nitriding furnace and that is obviously decreased for the samples placed at upper or lower positions near the edge. The depth profile of nitrogen in nitriding steel near the surface is also discussed.