Science
Silver is a naturally occurring mineral that has been around us for thousands of years.
Dartmouth Toxic Metals Research Program writes the following about pure silver:
"Unlike other metals such as lead and mercury, silver is not toxic to humans and is not known to cause cancer, reproductive or neurological damage, or other chronic adverse effects. Nor has normal day-to-day contact with solid silver coins, spoons or bowls been found to affect human health. This is because solid silver is almost completely biologically inert, and even if ingested, would pass through the human body without being absorbed into tissues."
"Trace amounts of silver are in the bodies of all humans and animals. We normally take in between 70 and 88 micrograms of silver a day, half of that amount from our diet. Humans have evolved with efficient methods of dealing with that intake, however. Over 99 percent is readily excreted from the body."
Dartmouth Toxic Metals silver-faq
SilverZap relies on the recommendations issued from WHO and that allows an even higher amount of silver per liter for disinfection purposes. SilverZap uses 100 mcg of pure silver to disinfect water. The WHO views this amount of silver as a bacteriostatic amount and allows in the order of 150 mcg per litre for disinfection purposes.
SilverZap has a guaranteed shelf life of 3 years from the production date but will usually keep many more years after that date has passed.
"Soluble silver compounds may be used as external antiseptic agents (15–50 ug/litre), as bacteriostatic agents (up to 100 ug/litre), and as disinfectants (>150 ug/litre)"
"Higher levels of silver, up to 0.1 mg/litre (a concentration that gives a total dose over 70 years of half the human NOAEL of 10 g), could then be tolerated without risk to health."
Background document for development of WHO Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality. (Originally published in Guidelines for drinking-water quality, 2nd ed. Vol. 2. Health criteria and other supporting information. World Health Organization, Geneva, 1996.): Silver in Drinking-water
Wikipedia says the following about silver: "Silver has proven antimicrobial activity that includes antibiotic-resistant bacteria. It has a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity, with minimal toxicity toward mammalian cells at low concentrations, and has a less likely tendency than antibiotics to induce resistance due to its activity at multiple bacterial target sites”
Will silver in this form affect the beneficial flora of the intestine? No it won't. Silver in this form does not affect acidophilus and bifidum bacteria. That has been shown by this American manufacturer:
Probiotic report.pdf
This observation is also
supported by this former teacher: "Former teacher of physics and chemistry, Howard Mitchell of Virginia, recently conducted a series of experiments with colloidal silver. He found that colloidal silver has no effect on acidophilus, the "good bacteria" found in the stomach. Mitchell used concentrations forty times higher than what might be expected to destroy other forms of bacteria. It shows that even in large dosages, the intestinal flora will flourish. In fact, there is speculation that the silver ions may be advantageous in stimulating a vigorous growth of beneficial bacteria, helping to boost the immune system."
Silver in its pure form is one of the most efficient and safest forms of water disinfectant around.
We hope you will find great use for the product and that it will make your and your family's life healthier!