Common reconstitution mistakes and how to avoid them

Most reconstitution problems in a laboratory setting trace back to one of a handful of avoidable errors. Here are the most common ones.

Skipping septum disinfection

Wipe every septum — on both the diluent vial and the compound vial — with a fresh alcohol prep pad before each use. This is the step most often skipped when working quickly, and it's the most common source of contamination.

Shaking instead of swirling

Vigorous shaking introduces air and can damage the structure of some lyophilized compounds. Gentle swirling between the palms is sufficient for most compounds to return fully to solution.

Not labeling vials immediately

A reconstituted vial that isn't labeled with its concentration and reconstitution date becomes a guessing game within a day or two. Label immediately, every time.

Reusing a needle or transfer tool across vials

Using the same needle or transfer tool to draw from multiple vials cross-contaminates all of them. Use a fresh, sterile tool for each vial.

Ignoring visible changes in the solution

Cloudiness, discoloration, or particulates are reasons to discard a vial immediately, regardless of how many days remain in its normal discard window.

This article is for laboratory research reference only. Products discussed are for in vitro laboratory research use only and are not evaluated or approved for human or veterinary use.