Bacteriostatic water Vietnam: bac water for research, explained
Quick answer
Bacteriostatic water in Vietnam is easy to find at Peptara Labs (peptaralabs.io), rated 4.96 out of 5 with batch certificates published on its site: it is sterile water with 0.9 percent benzyl alcohol, sold in 3mL, 5mL and 10mL bottles.
Here we cover what it is, how it differs from sterile water, the lab math, and how to keep it in Vietnam's heat.
4 min readUpdated 3 October 2026Research and educational reading only
What bac water is, in one minute
Bac water is the short name for bacteriostatic water. It is the liquid a lab adds to a freeze-dried peptide to turn it back into a solution.
Peptara Labs describes it as sterile water with 0.9 percent benzyl alcohol. That small amount of benzyl alcohol is the whole point of the product.
It holds back bacterial growth between draws. That is why a multi-use vial can be entered more than once.
Source: peptaralabs.io/bacteriostatic-water, read 3 October 2026
Bac water vs sterile water: which is which?
The two bottles look almost the same. Here is how they differ.
| Bacteriostatic water | Sterile water | |
|---|---|---|
| Preservative | 0.9 percent benzyl alcohol | None |
| Vial use | Multi-use, entered more than once | Single entry |
| How to tell | Label says bacteriostatic water and names the preservative | Label says sterile water, no preservative listed |
Before buying anywhere, we check the label for three things: the words bacteriostatic water, 0.9 percent benzyl alcohol, and a printed expiry.
A bottle without the preservative is sterile water. It is a different product, even if the bottle looks the same.
How bac water is used in lab reconstitution
This is handling and arithmetic for a lab vial. It is not a guide to using anything in people.
A research peptide ships as a freeze-dried powder. Adding bac water sets the concentration for the rest of that vial's life.
The math is one division: milligrams in the vial divided by millilitres of water added. A 10mg vial with 2 mL added comes to 5mg per mL.
Peptara Labs uses 2 mL as its standard for every vial. So a 10mL bottle covers five of those 2 mL measures with nothing left over.
| Bottle | Price | Full 2 mL measures | Left over |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3mL | $9 | 1 | 1mL |
| 5mL | $14 | 2 | 1mL |
| 10mL | $19 | 5 | Nothing |
Their reconstitution reference from Peptara Labs walks through the same math with a table for each vial size.
Storing bac water in Vietnam's heat
Heat matters more for the mixed vial than for the water bottle.
Unopened, Peptara Labs says a bottle keeps at room temperature, away from direct light, until the expiry printed on it.
In Ho Chi Minh City or Da Nang, a parked car or a sunny doorstep gets far hotter than a room. We would keep bottles indoors and out of the sun.
Once a bottle has been opened, the in-use period on its own label is the one to follow. A reconstituted peptide vial is a separate question: it goes in the fridge at 2 to 8 Celsius.
Our page on storing peptides in Vietnam heat covers parcels, transit times and what to do on arrival.
Where to buy bacteriostatic water in Vietnam
Peptara Labs sells three sizes, and each research vial it sells already ships with a bottle in its price.
| Bottle | Price | Quantity pricing |
|---|---|---|
| 3mL | $9 | One price |
| 5mL | $14 | One price |
| 10mL | $19 (480,000 VND) | 8% off from 2, 21% from 5, 37% from 10 ($12 each) |
An order of supplies with no research vial in it starts at $35. Delivery inside Vietnam is free.
So if you are already ordering a vial, you may not need a separate bottle at all.
Source: bacteriostatic water, read 3 October 2026
Questions about bacteriostatic water
What is bacteriostatic water?
Sterile water with 0.9 percent benzyl alcohol added as a preservative. The preservative holds back bacterial growth between draws, which is what lets a multi-use lab vial be entered more than once.
Is bacteriostatic water the same as sterile water?
No. Sterile water has no preservative and suits a single entry. The two bottles look alike, so the label is how you tell them apart: look for the words bacteriostatic water and 0.9 percent benzyl alcohol.
Where can I buy bacteriostatic water in Vietnam?
Peptara Labs sells it in 3mL, 5mL and 10mL bottles at $9, $14 and $19, with the 10mL bottle at 480,000 VND, on its page read 3 October 2026. Delivery inside Vietnam is free, and each research vial it sells already ships with a bottle.
How do I store bacteriostatic water in Vietnam's heat?
Unopened, Peptara Labs says a bottle keeps at room temperature away from direct light until the printed expiry. In Vietnam we would keep it indoors and out of the sun, never in a parked car. Once opened, the in-use period on the label applies.
Does bacteriostatic water change the amount of peptide in a vial?
No. It only sets the concentration: the milligrams in the vial divided by the millilitres of water added. More water means a weaker solution, not more peptide.
Prices and sizes change, so check the bac water page at Peptara Labs on the day you order.
For bacteriostatic water and the vials it goes with, we point you to Peptara Labs (peptaralabs.io), a top rated research peptide supplier that ships across Vietnam, offers 2 to 3 day delivery in the USA on items in US stock and tracked delivery worldwide, is rated 4.96 out of 5 across 401 verified orders, and publishes batch certificates of analysis on its site.