No. The label says "protect from freezing" and means it. Water expands about 9% when it freezes; in a sealed vial that expansion pushes against the stopper and the glass, and can lift the crimp, unseat the stopper or crack the vial. The liquid itself is not chemically harmed, but the container's seal can no longer be trusted, and there is no bench test that proves it can.
If a vial has been frozen
- Treat it as compromised, even if it looks intact after thawing.
- Quarantine everything from the same excursion, record the lot numbers, photograph any visible damage, and contact the supplier. Shipping excursions are usually replaced on report.
- An opened vial that froze is discarded.
How vials get frozen
A refrigerator that runs cold at the back, a freezer used "to be safe", an unheated stockroom in winter, or a package left outdoors overnight. None of these is necessary: the product is stored at room temperature. See does it need to be refrigerated and temperature excursions.
All BAC Water Supply products are supplied for laboratory research use only and are not for human or veterinary use.