Handling & Storage
Bacteriostatic vs Sterile vs Distilled Water
Three clear liquids that are not interchangeable. Which one belongs in a multi-use research vial, and why.
August 24, 2026 · 5 min read · Novanta Research
Bacteriostatic water
Sterile water containing 0.9% benzyl alcohol as a preservative. The preservative inhibits bacterial growth, which is what allows a vial to be entered multiple times over a period of days or weeks without becoming a culture medium.
This is the default diluent for research peptide reconstitution and the format Novanta stocks in 10ml vials.
Sterile water for injection
Sterile but unpreserved. Once the stopper is punctured there is nothing preventing microbial growth, so it is used for single-preparation work only. It is also the right choice when benzyl alcohol would interfere with an assay or with a preservative-sensitive sequence.
Distilled and deionised water
Purified of minerals but not sterile. Distillation removes dissolved solids; it does not reliably remove bacterial endotoxin, and the container is typically not sterile either. It has no place in reconstituting a research peptide vial.
Quick reference
Multi-use vial over days or weeks: bacteriostatic water. Single preparation, used immediately, or preservative-sensitive work: sterile water. Anything else: not suitable.
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For laboratory and research use only. Not for human or veterinary consumption. Novanta Research is not a compounding pharmacy and nothing in this article is medical advice or a claim that any compound diagnoses, treats, cures or prevents any condition.