Disclosed is a buffered antimicrobial solution for storage of chromatographic solids, wherein the buffered anti-microbial solution comprises from 1.5 percent to 4 percent by weight benzyl alcohol, 0.5 percent to 4 percent by weight ethyl alcohol and from 92 percent to 98 percent by weight of 50mM to 200mM buffer to provide a solution at pH of 5.5 to 7.5.