title: Antimicrobial activity of electrochemical silver ions in nonionic surfactant solutions and in model dispersions.
abstract: The microbicidal effectiveness against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and Candida albicans of electrochemical silver ions in aqueous solutions containing nonionic surfactants was investigated. From the perspective of the possible use of anodic silver as a preservative in cosmetic or pharmaceutical preparations, microbicidal efficacy was also studied in oil/water model dispersions. Surfactants and botanical extracts partially inhibited the microbicidal effectiveness of anodic silver. Nevertheless in all the experimental conditions, silver ions reduced the microbial concentration up to 4 log units of the starting inoculum in less than 6 h. The wide microbicidal spectrum and the high rate of kill of silver ions appear, therefore, attractive enough to suggest a possible utilization of anodic silver as a preserving agent.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Studi di Chimica e Tecnologia delle Sostanze Biologicamente Attive Università La Sapienza, Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scalzo
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Perazzi
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Simonetti
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cerreto
mesh_terms: D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects*; D003358:Cosmetics / Q000592:standards; D004563:Electrochemistry; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D009821:Oils / Q000737:chemistry; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000378:metabolism; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012834:Silver / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012996:Solutions; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D003358:Cosmetics; D009821:Oils; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012996:Solutions; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D014867:Water; D012834:Silver