Читать книгу Green Nanomaterials - Siddharth Patwardhan - Страница 35

Silver nanoparticles are another major nanomaterial used in consumer products, mainly for antimicrobial protection. The use of particulate silver in healthcare for the treatment of wounds has been recorded as far back in time as Ancient Greece. Silver is a well known antimicrobial agent, being used in antibacterial, anti-fungal and antiseptic creams, dressings and medical equipment coatings. While silver is an inert metal to us, it is highly toxic to microbes by damaging enzymes in pathogen membranes. The advantage of nanoparticulate silver is that the increased surface area increases the relative activity. It is now common to find silver nanoparticles in simple cheap wound dressings such as sticking plasters. The antimicrobial effect of silver nanoparticles is used in a wide range of consumer products, such as coatings and clothing.