A sensitive method for the determination of total selenium in aerosol particles is described. The method involves dissolution of aerosol particles by $HNO_3-HClO_4$ mixed acids, pre-reduction of Se (VI) to Se (IV) by boiling hydrochloric acid, and hydride generation followed by atomic absorption detection. Dissolved Se (IV) in 4M hydrochloric acid is reacted with $NaBH_4$ to form $H_2Se$, which is subsequently collected in an U-tube cooled in liquid nitrogen. Upon the completion of $H_2Se$ generation, the collected $H_2Se$ is rapidly vaporized into a quartz cuvette burner by removing the U-tube from liquid nitrogen, atomized, and then detected by an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The absolute sensitivity of the method is 0.49 ng/0.0044 Abs. The accuracy of the method evaluated by analyzing standard reference materials for urban aerosol is better than 10%. Analytical results for urban and rural aerosol particles are reported.