We have used previously published observations of main-sequence B-type stars lying in 11 young stellar clusters and associations to estimate non-LTE abundances of oxygen and nitrogen over galactocentric distances |6 < R_ g < 13| kpc. An oxygen abundance gradient of |-0.03 ± 0.02| dex kpc−1 is found, agreeing with earlier preliminary findings from early-type stars. The smaller number of nitrogen abundance estimates precludes any similar conclusion. For |6 < R_ g < 10| kpc the mean abundances are |12 + log[O/H]=8.84 ± 0.11| and |12 + log[N/H]=7.91 ± 0.13|. When compared with the gas-phase abundances as found from ultraviolet absorption-line studies, the data suggest depletions into grains of |0.28 ± 0.13| dex for oxygen and |0.07 ± 0.14| dex for nitrogen.
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Fitzsimmons et al. (1992) studied this question.