Bacteriostatic vs. sterile water for reconstitution
Updated October 2026
Both dissolve a lyophilized peptide — but they behave differently once the vial is opened. Here's the difference researchers care about.
Sterile water
Sterile water for reconstitution is purified water with no additives. It is single-use: once the vial is punctured there is nothing to inhibit microbial growth, so any unused solution is discarded.
Bacteriostatic water
Bacteriostatic water contains a small amount of benzyl alcohol (commonly 0.9%), which inhibits the growth of bacteria. This lets a multi-use vial of reconstituted peptide be drawn from repeatedly over a longer window, which is why it's the common choice for research preparations used across several sessions.
Which to use
- Single-session work: either is fine
- Multi-session work from one vial: bacteriostatic water is standard
- Always follow the handling guidance for the specific compound
Note
Victory Peps supplies Research Water (0.9% benzyl alcohol, 10 mL) for laboratory reconstitution. For research use only.
Research-grade in the catalog