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Bacteriostatic Water

Bacteriostatic Water is sterile water containing 0.9% benzyl alcohol as a bacteriostatic preservative. Supplied in a sealed glass vial for laboratory use. Available in 3 mL and 10 mL presentations.

In stockSelling fast
Volume
3 mL vial£6.00

Order before 3pm for same-day dispatch.

Cut-off 3pm, Mon–Sat

Free next-day tracked delivery on every order · Royal Mail Tracked 24

3 mL · £6.00

At a glance

Presentations
3 mL and 10 mL
Form
Clear, colourless solution
Dispatch
Order by 3pm Mon–Sat for same-day dispatch

About Bacteriostatic Water

Bacteriostatic Water is sterile water containing 0.9% benzyl alcohol as a bacteriostatic preservative. "Bacteriostatic" is the microbiology term for an agent that inhibits the growth of bacteria rather than killing them, and the benzyl alcohol is the only component that sets the solution apart from plain sterile water.

Benzyl alcohol, or phenylmethanol (C7H8O, CAS 100-51-6, 108.14 g/mol), is the simplest aromatic alcohol: a benzene ring bearing a CH2OH group. At 0.9% the solution holds about 9 mg of benzyl alcohol per millilitre, roughly 0.08 mol/L, far below its solubility limit in water, so the product is a single clear, colourless phase. On a weight-in-volume basis, a 3 mL vial holds about 27 mg and a 10 mL vial about 90 mg.

Both presentations are sealed glass vials, stored at 20–25 °C and protected from light. Keeping the vial sealed limits contact with air, which slowly oxidises benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde and benzoic acid.

Further reading

Bacteriostatic Water structure and analytical profile

The solution has two components: water (CAS 7732-18-5) and benzyl alcohol at 0.9%, weight in volume. That is about 9 mg of benzyl alcohol in every millilitre, roughly 0.08 mol/L, which keeps the solution well inside the solubility of benzyl alcohol in water and leaves one clear, colourless liquid phase with nothing suspended or separated.

Benzyl alcohol is phenylmethanol, C7H8O at 108.14 g/mol: a benzene ring carrying a CH2OH group. It is the component that makes the water bacteriostatic, and it also gives the solution a weak ultraviolet absorbance near 258 nm, from its aromatic ring.

Bacteriostatic Water comes in two presentations, 3 mL and 10 mL, each a sealed glass vial. The 3 mL vial holds about 27 mg of benzyl alcohol and the 10 mL vial about 90 mg. Each vial is packed for tracked dispatch and arrives sealed.

The specification is short: sterile water, 0.9% benzyl alcohol, a clear and colourless appearance, and storage at 20–25 °C protected from light. Keeping the vial sealed limits contact with air, which slowly oxidises benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde and benzoic acid.

Buying Bacteriostatic Water in the UK

Order Bacteriostatic Water directly from British Peptide Labs, a UK-registered company, as a sealed vial in 3 mL and 10 mL presentations, from £6.

Choose a presentation in the buy box, add it to your basket and check out. Orders placed before 3pm Mon–Sat are packed the same working day and handed to Royal Mail Tracked 24, and your tracking number is emailed as soon as the parcel leaves us. Larger orders are welcome: add as many vials as your laboratory needs in a single basket.

For what other UK suppliers charge, see our UK price per mg data, updated every month.

Product information

Appearance
Clear, colourless solution
Net content
3 mL or 10 mL per vial
Storage (sealed vial)
Store at 20–25 °C, protected from light
Research use
For laboratory research use only. Not for human or veterinary use.

Bacteriostatic Water is sterile water containing 0.9% benzyl alcohol as a bacteriostatic preservative. Supplied in a sealed glass vial for laboratory use. Available in 3 mL and 10 mL presentations. Store the sealed vial at 20–25 °C, protected from light. For research use only. Not for human or veterinary use. Sold strictly for in-vitro laboratory research; not for diagnosis or treatment.

Packing
Each sealed vial travels in protective packing.
Dispatch
Orders placed before 3pm Mon–Sat leave the same day.
Delivery
Next-day tracked delivery with Royal Mail Tracked 24.
Tracking
Your tracking number is emailed as soon as the order is dispatched.
Delivery cost
Delivery is free on every order.
Shipping details

Questions about Bacteriostatic Water

Bacteriostatic Water is sterile water containing 0.9% benzyl alcohol as a bacteriostatic preservative. It is supplied in a sealed vial as a clear, colourless solution, in 3 mL and 10 mL presentations.

Read the Learn article

Sterile water is water free of viable microorganisms, with nothing added. Bacteriostatic water is also sterile while sealed, but it contains 0.9% benzyl alcohol as a preservative, which inhibits bacterial growth rather than killing bacteria. The difference in composition is the benzyl alcohol.

Benzyl alcohol, or phenylmethanol, is the simplest aromatic alcohol: a benzene ring carrying a CH2OH group. Its formula is C7H8O, its molecular weight 108.14 g/mol and its CAS number 100-51-6. It is a colourless liquid that boils at about 205 °C with a solubility in water of about 43 g per litre at 25 °C.

0.9 g of benzyl alcohol per 100 mL of solution, weight in volume. That is about 9 mg per millilitre, or roughly 0.08 mol/L.

About 27 mg in the 3 mL vial and about 90 mg in the 10 mL vial, at 9 mg per millilitre.

It is the microbiology term for an agent that inhibits the growth of bacteria rather than killing them. In bacteriostatic water that agent is the benzyl alcohol.

Benzyl alcohol oxidises slowly in air to benzaldehyde and benzoic acid. The sealed vial is stored at 20–25 °C, protected from light, which keeps that contact to a minimum.

Order Bacteriostatic Water directly from British Peptide Labs, a UK-registered company. It is supplied in sealed 3 mL and 10 mL vials, from £6.00. The 3 mL and 10 mL vials are in stock. Orders placed before 3pm Mon–Sat leave the same day by Royal Mail Tracked 24 for next-day tracked delivery.

Bacteriostatic Water comes in sealed vials: 3 mL at £6.00 and 10 mL at £8.00. Delivery is free on every order.