Benzyl Alcohol
Also known as: preservative
A mild aromatic-alcohol preservative (typically 0.9%) that makes bacteriostatic water bacteriostatic.
Benzyl alcohol is an aromatic alcohol used at low concentration (typically 0.9%) as a preservative in bacteriostatic water. It is the ingredient that gives the water its bacteria-inhibiting (bacteriostatic) property.
Its presence is why a reconstituted vial can be entered repeatedly across a research period rather than discarded after a single use, and it also acts as a mild local anaesthetic.
Because it is a preservative, bacteriostatic water is used rather than plain sterile water wherever a vial must remain usable over time.
RELATED TERMS
Bacteriostatic Water
Sterile water containing 0.9% benzyl alcohol, the standard solvent for reconstituting peptides so a multi-use vial stays sterile.
Reconstitution
The process of dissolving a lyophilised (freeze-dried) peptide in a sterile solvent such as bacteriostatic water before study.
Sterile Technique
The practice of avoiding contamination when reconstituting and drawing from vials — wiping stoppers, single-use needles.
Educational content, not medical advice. All products supplied for research purposes only — not for human consumption.