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UK Buying Guide
Where to Buy Bacteriostatic Water in the UK
Bacteriostatic water is the least glamorous item in any peptide order and one of the most common causes of a ruined sample. This guide explains when to use it, when to use sterile water instead, and what is available in the UK.
Identity by mass spectrometryPurity by HPLCUK & EU deliverySealed on arrival
Overview
What Is Bacteriostatic Water?
Bacteriostatic water is sterile water containing a small percentage of benzyl alcohol as a preservative, which limits microbial growth after a vial has been entered. That preservative is what makes it suitable for multi-use working solutions, where the stopper will be pierced more than once. Sterile water contains no preservative and is appropriate for single-use preparation only.
Classification
Reconstitution diluent
Format supplied
vial
Composition
Sterile water containing approximately 0.9% benzyl alcohol as a bacteriostatic agent
Use
Multi-entry reconstitution diluent for lyophilised research compounds
Purity specification
99%+ by HPLC, chromatogram and analysis date on the certificate
Research use only
Not a medicine. Not for human or veterinary consumption.
Available Options
Bacteriostatic Water Options Available From Arma Peptides
Bacteriostatic water in a multi-entry vial, sized for reconstituting a standard research vial. Order it alongside the compound so both arrive in the same parcel.
Product
Format
Size
Price
Stock
Handling & Delivery
Using and Storing Bacteriostatic Water
The diluent has its own handling rules, and they are shorter than a peptide’s but not optional.
Swab Before Every Entry
The preservative inhibits growth; it does not sterilise a contaminated draw path. Wipe the stopper each time you draw.
Room Temperature Storage Is Fine
Unlike the peptides it dissolves, bacteriostatic water does not need refrigeration. Keep it cool, dry and out of direct light.
Track the First-Entry Date
Write the date of first puncture on the vial. Multi-entry vials have a finite in-use life once the stopper has been broken.
Same-Day Tracked Dispatch
Add it to a peptide order and it ships together, same working day before the cut-off, tracked and plain-packaged, with fast UK & EU delivery from Arma Nova Pharma.
Due Diligence
Bacteriostatic Water Is Not Sterile Water — Know the Difference
The diluent is the most overlooked purchase in a peptide order and one of the more common causes of a ruined batch. Three distinctions matter.
- STEP 01
Bacteriostatic, Sterile and Distilled Are Three Products
Bacteriostatic water contains a preservative that inhibits bacterial growth, allowing multiple entries into a vial. Sterile water has no preservative and is single-use. Distilled water is neither and has no place in this workflow.
- STEP 02
Check the Preservative and Its Concentration
Benzyl alcohol at around 0.9% is the standard. The figure should be stated, because both the identity and the concentration of the preservative affect compatibility with what you are dissolving.
- STEP 03
Preservative Compatibility Is Compound Specific
Some compounds do not tolerate benzyl alcohol, and NAD+ in particular needs attention to diluent pH. Match the diluent to the compound rather than defaulting to whatever is in the drawer.
- STEP 04
Seal and Stopper Integrity
A multi-entry vial relies on its stopper resealing. Inspect the seal on arrival; a compromised stopper removes the only advantage bacteriostatic water has over sterile water.
Sold as a research reagent. Not a medicinal product, not for consumption by humans or animals, and not for use in diagnostic procedures.
FAQ
Bacteriostatic Water in the UK: Questions Researchers Ask Before Ordering
+Is bacteriostatic water legal to buy in the UK?
Yes. It is supplied here as a laboratory reconstitution diluent for research use, and is not sold for human or veterinary application.
+What is the difference between bacteriostatic and sterile water?
Bacteriostatic water contains a preservative, usually benzyl alcohol at about 0.9%, which inhibits bacterial growth and allows a vial to be entered more than once. Sterile water has no preservative and is intended for single use.
+Can I use distilled water instead?
No. Distilled water is neither sterile nor preserved and introduces contamination risk into a workflow where the compound itself is the expensive part.
+Bacteriostatic or sterile water — which do I need?
Use bacteriostatic water where the vial will be entered more than once, because the benzyl alcohol limits microbial growth between entries. Use sterile water for a single-use preparation, or where the preservative would interfere with your assay.
+How long does a reconstituted vial last?
That depends on the compound, not the diluent. Bacteriostatic water extends the window during which the solution remains free of microbial growth; it does not slow chemical degradation of the peptide itself. Refrigerate at 2–8 °C and avoid freeze–thaw cycling.
+How much diluent should I use per vial?
It depends on the target concentration and on the compound. Hydrophobic peptides such as MOTS-c and DSIP need more dilute preparation than freely soluble ones like Selank or Epithalon.
+Does bacteriostatic water need refrigeration?
No. Store it at room temperature, cool, dry and away from direct light. Refrigeration is a requirement of the lyophilised compounds, not of the diluent.
+Can I return an unopened vial of bacteriostatic water?
Yes, within 14 days of receipt while unopened and in original sealed packaging. Unsealed vials cannot be returned for health-protection reasons; statutory rights on faulty goods still apply.
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