While it is accepted that silver in the bandage either as
nanocrystals of Ag(0) or as bound cationic Ag(I) must be
released as Ag+ in order to leave the bandage surface, the
complexities of Ag+ movement in a serum plasma environment
with approximately 60 mg/ml serum proteins
and 0.16 M NaCl have not been studied. Ag+ is precipitated
out from solution by moderate Cl¡ anions and at
higher Cl¡ concentrations solubilized as complex anions
such as [AgCl2]
¡, which aVects the sensitivity of bacterial
cells to Ag+ and the relative diVerence between susceptability
of sensitive and resistant bacteria [26]. Proteins
are known to bind Ag, which is used as a “silver stain”
for protein gel electrophoresis and to quantitate overall
protein concentrations (e.g. http://www.sigmaaldrich.
com/sigma/general%20information/vol4%20issue1%
20proteosilver.pdf) and proteins such as gelatin are used
to maintain silver in a biocidal available form. Not
surprisingly, added blood serum aVects the in vitro measurements
of Ag+ sensitivity (L. T. Phung, in preparation).