Influence of postgrowth hydrogen treatments on nonradiative recombination centers in undoped and B-doped Si epilayers, grown by molecular beam epitaxy at low temperatures, are studied by optical detection of magnetic resonance. Hydrogen passivation of the dominant nonradiative defects in undoped Si is shown to be rather effective, whereas in the B-doped Si epilayers the effects of the hydrogen treatment of the same defects are found to be only marginal. Possible mechanisms for this are discussed. Information on two new nonradiative defects is provided. ©1997 American Institute of Physics.