Acetic Acid

Overview

Dilute acetic acid is used in peptide laboratories as a solvent for sequences that dissolve poorly in neutral aqueous buffers, particularly basic peptides and those that aggregate as the pH approaches neutrality. Lowering the pH keeps such sequences in solution long enough for a stock to be prepared and then diluted into the working buffer, which is often the difference between a usable solution and a vial of material that will not go into solution at all. The concentration of the solution supplied is stated on its lot documentation, and that figure needs to be recorded, because the final pH of any working solution prepared with it depends on it.

Laboratory uses

The points below set out what this item is used for in a laboratory setting. They describe handling applications only and represent no outcome of any kind.

• Dissolution of basic peptides and sequences that aggregate at neutral pH
• Preparation of acidified stock solutions ahead of dilution into a working buffer
• Solubility screening across a pH range during method development
• Peptide handling where neutral aqueous diluents have failed to produce a clear solution

Specifications

Handling and storage

• Store at controlled room temperature unless the lot documentation states otherwise. Protect from light and do not freeze.
• Inspect the vial before each entry. Set it aside if the solution is discoloured, cloudy or contains particulate matter.
• Use aseptic technique and a fresh needle for each withdrawal. Do not return withdrawn material to the vial.
• Record the date of first entry on the vial and establish an in-use period from your own assessment rather than from a supplier figure.
• Use standard personal protective equipment and handle in an appropriate laboratory setting.

Lot documentation

Each lot is supplied with its own documentation stating the specification that applies to it. Concentrations and any preservative content should be read from that document and recorded against any protocol this item is used in, since those figures determine the composition of the working solution it is used to prepare.

Research use only

This product is supplied strictly for laboratory research use only. It is not a drug, food, cosmetic or dietary supplement. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, and it is not intended for human or veterinary consumption or for administration to humans or animals in any form. It must be handled only by qualified researchers in an appropriate laboratory setting, and it is the purchaser who is responsible for ensuring that their intended use complies with all laws and institutional requirements that apply to them.