How to Kill Germs in Water With Silver

Sanitize water with silver when you're out in the wilderness.

Silver is a precious metal that can be used to disinfect water when in a colloidal form. A colloid is a homogenous mixture of two substances, in which one substance is molecularly dispersed within the other. In the case of silver colloid, microscopic silver particles are dispersed within water in the form of a liquid. When silver colloid is added to unsanitary water, the silver particles will disperse within the mixture and destroy many harmful pathogens. While it is not safe to drink large amounts of water treated with silver habitually, it can be a convenient way to sanitize water when you're in the wilderness.

Things You'll Need

• Silver colloid disinfectant
• Container with cap

Instructions

1. Place the water you would like to purify in a container.

2. Add silver colloid to the water in the proportion recommended by your brand of disinfectant and place the cap on the container.

3. Wait 20 to 30 minutes for the silver colloid to kill the germs in your water. The amount of time will depend on the purity of your colloid, which varies by brand. Reference the bottle's instructions for the recommended waiting period.

Tips & Warnings

• Read the warnings on your silver colloid carefully. Ingesting too much silver colloid can be dangerous, so reference product warnings for maximum doses.

• Always check with a pediatrician before giving children water than has been treated with silver colloid.

References

• When Tech Fails: Disinfecting Your Water
• Emergency Essentials: ASAP™ Silver Solution