USAGE & HOW IT WORKS
MODERN DAY USAGE OF SILVER
In modern days, nanosilver has been used widely in commercial and consumer products for its antimicrobial efficacy that is effective against a wide ranging antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, anti-mold, and including its treatment and healing properties.
The International Space Station and US Space Shuttle is using nanosilver as an antibacterial agent in their water recycler. That includes many other commercial water treatment plants. Traces of silver can also be found in our daily water supply including in the rivers. Nanosilver has been approved by the US FIFRA for use as an algaecide in swimming pool since 1954.
SOME AREAS OF APPLICATION
Source: European Commission, Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR), "Opinion on Nanosilver: safety, health and environmental effects and role in antimicrobial resistance", 11 June 2014.
HOW NANOSILVER KILLS BACTERIA & VIRUS
Silver ions delivered by nanoparticles to bacteria promote cytolysis, the process by which cells break down and ultimately die, which makes silver nanoparticles a superior and widely used antibacterial agent.
The silver ions released by the nanosilver particles will destabilizes the cell membrane, wall and plasma and causing them to break down. This will interrupts the enzyme's transport of nutrients to the nucleii of the bacteria cell, stops the cell from replicating and multiplying and eventually suffocates it to death.
On the right is a recording of how a bacteria is being destroyed by silver nanoparticles under an electron microscope. (notice the white spots are silver nanoparticles).
The bacteria's cell wall erupted and disintegrated in ~13 seconds after it contacted the silver nanoparticles.
As you can see, the more silver nanoparticles there are the probability of contact and the efficacy rate also increases which is WHY SIZE MATTERS and is most important rather than concentration (too high concentration is unhealthy and is risking on being overdose).
Silver has been known to be used by human for more than 3,000 years. In those times our forefathers already knew its antimicrobial efficacy and have used it to treat wounds and cure illnesses. Silver jugs and urns have been used to store drinking water and wine including milk as it helps to preserve them longer by preventing bacteria from growing.
Nobles and Royalties used Silverwares to serve their food and used Silver cutleries to eat. Most people thought that using Silver is a sign of wealth but in reality it was also for its antimicrobial property to prevent food poisoning.
Similarly, early settlers in the West would often throw silver dollars into their wells or water barrels to kill bacteria and keep water potable. During the plaques in Europe, wealthy families gave their children silver spoons to suck on, hence the saying "born with a silver spoon in his mouth".
Silver nitride, one of the salt of Silver used to be applied on the eye of every new born in the hospital to prevent contracting Pinkeye, a neonatal conjuntivitis that could potentially cause blindness. Silver was widely used in lacing of first aid dressings as it kills bacteria and help speed up the healing of wounds. It was widely used as field aids during wars including WWI until 1938. Its used has since been reduced drastically due to the creation of Penicillin and other cheaper man-made chemical based antibiotics and antibacterial agents.
