Recommended materials for breath hydrogen collection (plastic syringes with twist lock closure) are only adequate for relatively brief periods because of gradual hydrogen loss and considerable variability between duplicate samples. To document the most favorable storage conditions for breath hydrogen, we compared hydrogen retention in plastic syringes using a conventional twist-in-lock closure versus a simple, inexpensive syringe closure, a Critocap. Hydrogen retention was studied at 25, 5, and -20 degrees C in two different syringe brands over 72 h of storage. An analysis of variance confirms the superiority of Critocaps over twist-in-lock closures (p less than 0.001). Reliability was maximal when samples were placed in environments less than 5 degrees C. When storage time was extended to 7 days, mean hydrogen retention was 86 +/- 6% (means +/- SD).