Colloidal nanosilver is manufactured at high volume for incorporation into consumer and medical products as an antimicrobial agent. Under physiological conditions, silver can undergo complex chemical transformations that determine the performance and safety of nanosilver products. Here we present a systematic study of nanosilver biotransformation under well-defined conditions. We focus on the chemical aspects of transformation pathways, including oxidative dissolution, Ag+ precipitation and complexation, reaction with sulfur and selenium, and UV photoreduction. In vitro experiments are designed under simplified but biologically relevant chemical conditions to investigate the effect of thiol compounds, ascorbic acid, and chloride. Finally, nanosilver its biotransformation will be studied using a reconstructed skin model.

Understanding nanosilver bioperformance: The chemical transformation of nanosilver in biological systems

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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