Information about suitable storage conditions can often be obtained from the manufacturer of the source material and should be requested routinely when a new chemical reference substance is established. Theoretically, the stability of the substances should be enhanced by keeping them at low temperatures but, for substances that contain water, storage below 0°C may impair the stability. It should also be remembered that the relative humidity in normal refrigerators or cold-rooms may be high and, unless ampoules or other tightly closed containers are used, the improvement in stability may be more than offset by degradation due to the absorption of moisture. Storage at about +5°C, with precautions to prevent such absorption, has proved satisfactory for most chemical reference substances.