Renal handling of acid and base was studied in patients with persistent metabolic acidosis 3-9 years after jejunoileal bypass for morbid obesity. Excretion of acid was studied before and after intravenous infusion of NH4Cl and excretion of bicarbonate after infusion of NaHCO3. Bypass patients showed impaired capacity for acidification of urine. The lowest urinary pH was 5.53 +/- 0.10 in 10 bypass patients and 4.76 +/- 0.06 in 6 controls. The corresponding values for standard bicarbonate in plasma were 15.0 +/- 0.3 mM and 15.8 +/- 0.3 mM. Glomerular filtration rate was identical in the two groups. Fractional loss of bicarbonate in urine was higher in controls than in bypass patients. The renal impairment is classified as distal renal tubular acidosis.