Reconstitution & Vials
Sterile Water
Also called: sterile water for injection
Definition
Sterile water for injection that does not contain the bacteriostatic preservative found in bacteriostatic water.
What Sterile Water means
Sterile water and bacteriostatic water can both appear in discussions about reconstitution, but they are different products with different labeling and handling considerations.
Why the distinction matters
For BACToBasics calculator math, liquid volume affects concentration regardless of the liquid name; product-selection and preparation decisions are outside the calculator's scope.
Common confusion
A calculator can treat 1 mL as 1 mL mathematically without implying that two different diluents are clinically interchangeable.
See this concept in context
Open the BACToBasics tools and reference pages where this term is used.
Keep learning
Related glossary terms
Reconstitution & Vials
Bacteriostatic Water
Sterile water for injection that contains an antimicrobial preservative intended to inhibit bacterial growth after entry into the vial.
Reconstitution & Vials
Reconstitution
The process of adding a liquid to a dry or lyophilized product so that it becomes a solution or suspension with a calculable concentration.
Math & Measurement
Milliliter (mL)
A metric unit of liquid volume equal to one-thousandth of a liter.
Published September 6, 2026. BACToBasics glossary pages are educational definitions only and do not provide medical, dosing, preparation, treatment, or product-selection advice.