Bacteriostatic Water: Composition and Laboratory Documentation

Bacteriostatic water is a labeled sterile water product containing benzyl alcohol as a bacteriostatic preservative. A commonly labeled composition is 0.9% benzyl alcohol, or 9 mg/mL. Researchers must verify the exact manufacturer label and documentation for the container in hand.

Research Use Only on this store. Bolt Peptide offers this material only as a laboratory supply for qualified professionals in controlled settings. Nothing on this page is intended as human or veterinary use guidance.

What the name describes

Bacteriostatic means that the preservative is intended to inhibit microbial growth under the conditions described by the manufacturer. It does not mean that the contents can overcome poor aseptic practice, and it does not establish compatibility with every research material or assay.

Some manufacturer labels use the full USP compendial product name. That regulated label terminology identifies the original commercial formulation; it does not change Bolt Peptide’s research-only sales position.

Documents to review

• the manufacturer name, lot number, expiration date, and tamper-evident condition;
• the complete ingredient and preservative statement;
• the manufacturer label and package documentation;
• the safety data sheet, where available; and
• the laboratory’s approved protocol and assay-compatibility assessment.

Compatibility is protocol-specific

A preservative can affect cells, enzymes, detection systems, or other assay components. Qualified personnel should determine suitability from validated method information and institutional SOPs. Clear appearance and an intact seal are incoming-inspection observations, not substitutes for chemical identity, microbial controls, or method validation.

Traceability and release

Record the supplier, manufacturer, lot, receipt date, label condition, and controlled storage location. If any identifier or document does not match, quarantine the material until the discrepancy is resolved. Documentation should be available before a material is released into a controlled laboratory workflow.

References

• U.S. National Library of Medicine DailyMed: manufacturer labeling for Bacteriostatic Water, USP.
• Hoofnagle AN, et al. Recommendations for peptide generation, quantification, storage, and handling.

For in-vitro laboratory research and analytical use only. Not for human or veterinary use.