When gas samples are contained in vessels having Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) valves, and analysed over a period of several hours on the manifold of an automated mass spectrometer, the gas may become contaminated by air outgassed from the PTFE if the valves have recently been exposed to the atmosphere. For D/H analysis of hydrogen on our mass spectrometer (VG(R) SIRA II) this air contamination produces measurable ostensible depletion in D.