Ionic silver complex

Abstract

The invention relates to a substantially non-colloidal solution comprising (a) water; (b) silver ions; and (c) a substantially non-toxic, substantially thiol-free, substantially water-soluble complexing agent.

1 . A substantially non-colloidal solution made by combining ingredients comprising: (a) water; (b) a source of free silver ions; and (c) a substantially non-toxic, substantially thiol-free, substantially water-soluble complexing agent.  
     
     
         2 . The substantially non-colloidal solution of  claim 1 , wherein the non-colloidal solution possesses less than about ten weight percent of free silver based on the weight of total silver.  
     
     
         3 . The substantially non-colloidal solution of  claim 2 , wherein the non-colloidal solution possesses less than about one weight percent of free silver based the weight of total silver.  
     
     
         4 . The substantially non-colloidal solution of  claim 3 , wherein the non-colloidal solution possesses less than about one-tenth of a percent by weight of free silver based on the weight of total silver.  
     
     
         5 . The substantially non-colloidal solution of  claim 1 , wherein the non-colloidal solution possesses greater than about twenty parts of total silver per million parts of the non-colloidal solution.  
     
     
         6 . The substantially non-colloidal solution of  claim 5 , wherein the non-colloidal solution possesses greater than about fifty parts of total silver per million parts of the non-colloidal solution.  
     
     
         7 . The substantially non-colloidal solution of  claim 6 , wherein the non-colloidal solution possesses greater than or equal to about one hundred parts of total silver per million parts of the non-colloidal solution.  
     
     
         8 . The substantially non-colloidal solution of  claim 1 , wherein the source of free silver ions comprises silver oxide, trisilver citrate, or silver acetate.  
     
     
         9 . The substantially non-colloidal solution of  claim 8 , wherein the source of free silver ions comprises silver oxide.  
     
     
         10 . The substantially non-colloidal solution of  claim 1 , wherein the substantially non-toxic, substantially thiol-free, substantially water-soluble complexing agent comprises a carboxylic acid, or a primary, secondary or tertiary amine.  
     
     
         11 . The substantially non-colloidal solution of  claim 10 , wherein the substantially non-toxic, substantially thiol-free, substantially water-soluble complexing agent comprises amino acids or hydroxy acids.  
     
     
         12 . The substantially non-colloidal solution of  claim 11 , wherein the amino acids comprise glycine, alanine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, methionine, proline, phenylalanine, tryptophan, serine, threonine, tyrosine, asparagine, glutamine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, lysine, arginine, or histidine.  
     
     
         13 . The substantially non-colloidal solution of  claim 12 , wherein the hydroxy acids comprise glycolic acid, lactic acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, citric acid, or mandelic acid.  
     
     
         14 . The substantially non-colloidal solution of  claim 13;  wherein the citric acid is dibasic citrate.  
     
     
         15 . The substantially non-colloidal solution of  claim 1 , wherein the free silver ions are present in the substantially non-colloidal solution in an anti-microbially effective amount.  
     
     
         16 . The substantially non-colloidal solution of  claim 1 , wherein the ingredients further comprise a source of counter-ions.  
     
     
         17 . The substantially non-colloidal solution of  claim 1 , wherein the source of counter-ions comprises potassium ions, or calcium ions.