For centuries, silver has been used for its ability to destroy bacteria — from ancient Romans treating their water with silver coins to NASA using the metal to purify water aboard the Space shuttle.

Four decades ago, silver nitrate became one of the most effective treatments for fighting infection in serious burns. While silver’s antibacterial properties controls infection, which is the leading causes of death from serious burns, researchers say that these long-used topical silver agents can lose effectiveness in the body because some bacteria are becoming more drug resistant.

EPA micro-photo

Now, scientists in India are reporting successful laboratory tests of a new and potentially safer alternative — a gel composed of silver nanoparticles — each 1/50,000th the width of a human.

In a study, published in the current issue of ACS’ Molecular Pharmaceutics, Kishore Paknikar, from The Center for Nanobioscience in Pune, India, and his colleagues note that their new gel killed a broad range of harmful bacteria, including the most common causes of burn infections.

“These results clearly indicate that silver nanoparticles could provide a safer alternative to conventional antimicrobial agents in the form of a topical antimicrobial formulation,” the scientists wrote.

Here is a link to the study.

While this use nanosilver appears to be significantly beneficial, there is growing concern about using the particle in the hundreds of consumer products on the market .

Here is a link to what the environmental group “Beyond Pesticides” has to say about this nano particle.