Bacteriostatic Water
Sterile water containing 0.9% benzyl alcohol as a bacteriostatic preservative. A diluent, not a test article.
For laboratory research use only. Material is supplied as a research reference standard and is not approved by Health Canada. Protocols below are compiled from published literature and supplier documentation; they are reference information, not medical advice. Anyone with a health condition or on medication should speak to a physician first.
Before you begin
- • Lot-matched certificate and laboratory notebook
- • Calibrated pipettes, low-binding tubes and suitable PPE
- • Validated solvent, assay reagents and model-specific SOP
- • Appropriate positive, negative and vehicle controls
Required controls
- Unopened container inspection
- Solvent blank
- Method-specific sterility control
- Documented lot and expiry
Diluent
Supplied ready to use. Do not dilute further.
Compound-specific: Bacteriostatic water is not the same as sterile water for injection and not the same as saline. The benzyl alcohol is what permits multiple withdrawals from one container; it is also an assay-active compound at sufficient concentration. Where the method requires a preservative-free vehicle, use sterile water instead.