Silver News

Silver Shown Effective Against SARS Virus

Asilver-based substance named Polygiene may hold promise in killing the SARS virus, according to the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention.

Polygiene was first produced in 2002 by Swedish chemical company Perstorp AB to kill bacteria including salmonella. With the outbreak of SARS, Perstorp scientists in Italy began working with researchers at the Chinese Centre to see if Polygiene would be effective against SARs. Results have been promising, with testing showing that Polygiene kills SARS within 24 hours.

“We tested the compound against a four-hour, eighthour, and 24-hour exposure period and found no surviving SARS virus upon 24 hours of exposure to the polymer,” said Zhang Panhe, professor at the Chinese Academy of Military Medical Sciences. Tests have shown that the SARS virus can remain active more than two weeks outside the body.

Polygiene is a silver-imbedded polymer that can be mixed into plastics or other materials.

According to Lennart Holm, President and CEO of SSK/Perstorp AB, “It is clear from both the Italian and Chinese studies that Polygiene resins can help create a more hygienic environment for functional items we touch and use everyday in homes and in public buildings.”

Silver News - Second Quarter 2004