The influence of nitrogen on the process of fullerene formation in the carbon are discharge in a helium/nitrogen atmosphere has been studied. Applying optical emission spectroscopy and using the self-absorption effect, the spatial distribution of the temperatures and chemical species, i.e. C-2(a(3)II(u), v " = 0) and CN(X(2)Sigma (+), v " = 0) radicals produced by the d.c. are discharge between pure graphite electrodes, were determined across the are gap. The soot product was analyzed spectrophotometrically to determine C-60 content. C-60 was detected even when pure nitrogen was used (at about 0.5 wt%). The relative content of higher fullerenes was measured by mass spectrometry and their formation was found to be significantly enhanced in the presence of nitrogen.