Sterile technique and bacteriostatic water: a harm-reduction primer

This is a harm-reduction primer, not medical advice and not an endorsement of any particular use. If people are going to handle reconstituted material in a research context, basic sterile technique reduces avoidable risk: clean hands and surface, alcohol-swab the vial stopper, use a new sterile needle each time, and never share equipment.

Bacteriostatic water contains a small amount of benzyl alcohol that inhibits bacterial growth, which is why it is preferred over sterile water for multi-use vials. Store reconstituted material cold, inspect for cloudiness, and discard if anything looks off. The reconstitution calculator handles the math; it says nothing about whether to use anything.