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The World Health Organisation Report sponsored through
the UN and paid for by the US Government shows the following extracts regarding the tested benefits of using Colloidal
Silver to kill germs, viruses, bacteria, allergens and pathogens causing a multitude of deaths in the Third World every
day. It proves Colloidal Silver DOES KILL these terrible illnesses and diseases.
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UNITED NATIONS
- WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION REPORT RELATING TO THE USE OF COLLOIDAL SILVER IN CERAMIC WATER FILTERS.
Submitted to Jubilee House
November 18, 2001
USAID Purchase Order Number:
524-0-00-01-00014-5362
Extracts from Investigation
Colloidal Silver Impregnated Ceramic Filter
Report 2: Field Investigations
Daniele S. Lantagne
Alethia Environmental
1 Project Background
1.1 Hurricane Mitch, USAID, and CACEDRF
In October 1998, Hurricane Mitch devastated Central America, causing over 3,000 deaths in Nicaragua
alone (USAID 2001, 2001a). An estimated 18 percent of the population of Nicaragua was affected by Mitch, and water and wastewater systems serving
804,000 people suffered over US$560 million in damage. The Unites States provided US$22 million in immediate
humanitarian and food aid, and an additional US$8 million to start reconstruction activities in health, agriculture, and
micro-finance.
In May 1999, the United States Congress authorized US$621 million in aid under the Emergency
Supplemental Appropriations Act (USAID, 2001). These funds were authorized to support reconstruction in countries affected
by Hurricanes George and Mitch, and were later authorized to cover Hurricanes Floyd and Lenny, as well as the earthquake of
January 1999. This appropriation created an account named the Central American and Caribbean Emergency Disaster Recovery Funds (CACEDRF).
USAID is
responsible for administering US$586.8 million of the US$621 million allocated under CACEDRF (USAID, 2001a).
Of the total funds, US$94.1 million was allocated for economic reactivation, public health, school rehabilitation, disaster
mitigation, and municipal restoration in Nicaragua. As of June 30, 2001, a significant amount of progress on projects relating to water
supply and sanitation had already occurred (Table 1-1).
Table 1‑1: CACEDRF Successes Relating to
Water Supply and Sanitation in Nicaragua
USAID is
responsible for administering US$586.8 million of the US$621 million allocated under CACEDRF (USAID, 2001a).
Of the total funds, US$94.1 million was allocated for economic reactivation, public health, school rehabilitation, disaster
mitigation, and municipal restoration in Nicaragua. As of June 30, 2001, a significant amount of progress on projects relating to water
supply and sanitation had already occurred (Table 1-1).
Table 1‑1: CACEDRF Successes Relating to
Water Supply and Sanitation in Nicaragua
Category
Success
Economic Reactivation 57,000 households incorporated
environmentally sustainable practices on their farms 8,000 hectares of watershed area protected Public Health 2,440 wells
rehabilitated or built 5,740 latrines constructed 600 seepage pits constructed 175 deep wells drilled in rural areas 10,000
training visits held to improve health behavior related to new water and sanitation infrastructure 6 health clinics constructed
School Rehabilitation 196 schools scheduled for rehabilitation of wells and latrines Disaster Mitigation Cleaning and
stabilizing stream channels Construction of drainage channels Municipal Restoration Projects with local governments on storm
drain systems, flood control, river deck construction
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An additional goal of the rehabilitation program in Nicaragua is to investigate point-of-use household water filtration systems
(USAID, 2001b). To this end, USAID worked to install 40,000 sand filtration units, supervised by Maria Alejandra Bosche.
Ms. Bosche found that follow-up education was critical to the correct and continued use of the filter system (Bosche, personal
conversation).
Secondly, USAID contracted with Jubilee House Community (JHC) to study the Potters for Peace (PFP)
ceramic water filtration system. JHC, an intentional Christian community, is a 501(c)3 organization in North Carolina (JHC-CDCA, 2001). From 1979 – 1994, members of the
community worked on shelters for homeless and battered women, as well as other social and justice issues, in North Carolina.
In 1994, the community moved to Nicaragua, established the Center for Development in Central America (CDCA), and began working with communities in Nicaragua. After Hurricane Mitch, JHC-CDCA began to work on reconstruction
projects in Nueva Vida, a nearby community swelled with displaced persons. USAID provided funding and supplies to build
housing, a medical clinic, and latrines (USAID, 2001c). JHC and a group of volunteers worked with the community to build
these facilities, in addition to a number of other projects. One of these other projects is the promotion of the Potters
for Peace water filtration system to provide safe drinking water for families in Nueva Vida.
JHC worked
with PFP to contract Daniele Lantagne, Principal of Alethia Environmental and Lecturer in Civil and Environmental Engineering
at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, to complete the project. The project was divided into two deliverables,
one addressing the intrinsic effectiveness of the filter, and the other addressing the performance of the filters under field
conditions. Specifically the reports are to address the following:
Report 1: Intrinsic Effectiveness of the Potters for Peace
Ceramic Filter
· Best
practices for colloidal silver application.
·
Expected filter flow rates with and without colloidal silver.
·
Expected lifetime per application of colloidal silver.
·
Concentration of silver in filtered water.
·
Effects of ingestion of the silver.
·
Inactivation of microbes as a function of the concentration of silver.
· Effectiveness of silver in removing other pollutants commonly found in the area of interest.
Completion Deadline: December 21, 2001
The PFP Filter
Initial Filter Design
In 1981 the InterAmerican
Bank financed a comparative study designed to determine which of 10 appropriate technology filters could be best adapted to
the objectives of the project, which were (ICAITI, 1994):
1.
to produce a domestic filter of suitable capacity;
2.
in a self-supporting manner;
3. whose production
would foster economic activity at low income levels; and
4.
foster artisan activity.
ICAITI, an industrial research
institute in Guatemala supported by the Organization for American States, was contracted to complete the research and to choose
a model. Ten models were evaluated based on filtration flow, bacteriological efficiency, ease of manufacture, availability
of materials, final cost, contribution to artisan activity, and ease of distribution. All but two models were discarded
after initial review because they did not meet basic criteria. The two models not discarded were:
1. Lathed clay filter with feldspar, sawdust,
and colloidal silver impregnation; and
2.
Lathed clay filter with sand, sawdust, and colloidal silver impregnation.
None of the ten models investigated utilized chlorine as a disinfectant.
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Further research was then conducted on the two models that
met the basic criteria. This research, led by Fernando Mazareigos, did extensive bacteriological testing over a 3 to
10 month period. Results of this research include:
1.
Of 302 filtered samples analyzed, only 6.3 percent were above 1.0 coliforms per 100 mL of water. The method used for
analysis was most probable number.
2.
Application of silver was determined to be more uniform when applied by brush as opposed to filtering water containing colloidal
silver through the filtering element.
3.
Frequent contamination was found both in the first few runs of the filter (41 percent contaminated) and after handling the
element during sampling. This was attributed to handling the filter and ICAITI recommended that users refrain from touching
the element during its useful life. Due to the omnipresent bacteria in the environment “usage of the filter must
be accompanied by sanitary and hygienic practices in order to maximize the potential benefits to health.”
4. Flow in the filters gradually declined from 3.5 liters per
hour on Day 1 to 1.97 liters per hour on Day 365. The report contained no information on turbidity of the raw water
supply.
5. ICAITI recommended not using
the filter with chlorinated water. No reason was given.
Based on these results, ICAITI concluded that a colloidal silver impregnated ceramic filter was the only design that
met all established criteria of the study. The United Nations then included this filter in their Appropriate Technology
Resource Material Manual. ICAITI concluded its study by producing a 'Manual Para La Fabricacion De Filtros Artesanales De Agua Potable.'
Table 0‑1:
Worldwide Public Health Impact of Waterborne Disease (WHO, undated)
Disease Morbidity (per year) Mortality (deaths
/ year) Population at risk
Waterborne &
water-washed
Cholera
Diarrheal disease 1,500 million episodes in children under 5 4 million in children
under 5 over 2,000 million
Enteric fevers
500,000 cases 25,000
Poliomyelitis
204,000 25,000
Ascariasis (roundworm)
1,000,000 20,000
Leptospirosis
Trichuriasis
Water-washed
Trachoma 6 – 9 million blind
500 million
Leishmaniasis 400,000 new infections
/ year 350 million
Relapsing
fever
Typhus fever
Water-based
Schistosomiasis 200 million 200,000 500 – 600 million
Dracunculiasis over 10 million
over 100 million
The USEPA has also investigated silver to determine appropriate drinking water standards.
The USEPA recommends a maximum intake of 5 μg/kg/day (1996). In the average 70 kilogram adult, this is equivalent to 350
μg/day. This recommendation was established to prevent argyria, a medically benign but permanent bluish-gray discoloration
of the skin. Argyria results from the deposition of silver in the dermis and also from silver-induced production of melanin.
Argyria is more pronounced in areas exposed to sunlight due to photoactivated reduction of the metal”, and “although
the deposition of silver is permanent, it is not associated with any adverse health effects.
In addition,
no evidence of cancer in humans has been reported despite frequent therapeutic use of the compound over the years. Silver
was used for centuries to treat syphilis, and as an astringent in topical preparations.
The 2001 National Secondary Drinking Water Regulations recommends a maximum silver concentration
of 0.10 mg/L (or 100 μg/L), but specifically states that “EPA recommends secondary standards to water systems but
does not require systems to comply. However, states may choose to adopt them as enforceable standards.” These
secondary non-enforceable guidelines regulate contaminants that may cause cosmetic effects or aesthetic effects in drinking
water. The USEPA does not address separate standards for use of silver as a disinfectant. It is of note that the
USEPA secondary standard is the same as the WHO guideline value for use of silver as a disinfectant: 0.1 mg/L or 100 μg/L.
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Colloidal Silver and
USFDA/USEPA Regulation
A colloidal solution is a true
solution that consists of colloidal macromolecules and solvent and that is thermodynamically stable and readily reconstituted
after separation of the macromolecules from the solvent (Stenesh, 1996).” Furthermore, a colloid is a macromolecule
or a particle in which at least one dimension has a length of 10-9 to 10-6 meters. Thus, colloidal silver is a stable solution
of very small silver particles suspended in distilled water or proteins. Higher concentrations of colloidal silver (such as
used by PFP) are suspended in proteins because they would not be stable in water (Quinto, personal conversation).
In 1999, the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) issued a ruling that all
over-the-counter (OTC) drug products containing colloidal silver ingredients or silver salts for internal or external use
are not generally recognized as safe and effective and are misbranded. FDA is issuing this final rule because many OTC drug
products containing colloidal silver ingredients or silver salts are being marketed for numerous serious disease conditions
and FDA is not aware of any substantial scientific evidence that supports the use of OTC colloidal silver ingredients or silver
salts for these disease conditions (Federal Register, August 17, 1999).
The burgeoning naturopathic
market for colloidal silver in the United States prompted this ruling. In a cease-and-desist letter issued to Mr.
Randy Winters, the USFDA quoted Mr. Winters’ web site as stating, colloidal silver has been proven to be useful against
over 650 diseases, including cancer, without any known harmful side effects. It has been found to cause rapid regeneration
of damaged cells and tissues, subdue inflammation and promote faster healing (FDA, 2000). A simple web search for “colloidal
silver leads to numerous sites advertising unsubstantiated healing properties, and another set of sites selling home-based
colloidal silver generation machines.
On August 8, 2001, I spoke with Ms. Roma Egli, the colloidal silver contact person
at the USFDA, about the PFP filter and the use of colloidal silver for disinfection. Ms. Egli said that the USFDA does not
deal with disinfection agents, and that the USEPA would regulate the use of colloidal silver in this manner. As long as PFP
does not state that the filters are treating animals or humans for disease, and does not state that the colloidal silver is
an antibiotic, the product is not regulated under the USFDA. She also mentioned that colloidal silver is used for water disinfection
on transportation systems such as airplanes, trains, and boats. When asked, Ms. Egli did state that she has seen argyria cases
in people only using naturopathic colloidal silver. No case she has seen is as severe as Rosemary Jacobs, but she has seen
permanently blue fingertips. Overall, Ms. Egli expressed the viewpoint that the USFDA is concerned about labeling of colloidal
silver as a medical drug when there is no research to support such claims. They are not concerned with colloidal silver as
a disinfectant, and in fact Ms. Egli recommended that I talk with the Silver Institute (a promoter of colloidal silver as
an antibiotic) about purchasing a generator to make colloidal silver in Nicaragua rather than importing it from Mexico. Because the generators are only capable of producing colloidal
silver in the ppm range, as opposed to the 3.2 percent solution that PFP uses, this idea was determined to be not appropriate
for PFP
.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
I then spoke with Wade Travathan, of the USEPA, about colloidal silver
as a disinfectant. The EPA Office of the Pesticide Program regulates disinfectants because microorganisms in the United States are legally classified as pests. Thus, any product that kills
microorganisms is classified under federal law as a pesticide. Mr. Travathan said that there are current, active products
that are registered with EPA that use colloidal silver as a disinfectant. To become registered as a pesticide, you submit
data that details toxicity and efficacy. You can refer to data that has already been submitted by another company, by offering
that company appropriate compensation. The submission forms are available on the web site and submission is free of charge.
However, there is a maintenance fee of US$1,000 dollars per year on your permit. The Office of the Pesticide Program can
be reached at www.epa.gov/pesticides.
Thus, with the appropriate permitting from the USEPA Office
of the Pesticide Program, and data supporting that the finished water concentration of silver is less than the USEPA secondary
standard of 100 μg/L, a colloidal silver impregnated filter is a legal product to distribute and use in the United States
and meets all USA regulations.
Silver in Ceramics
Potters for Peace is not the only organization to use silver as a disinfectant
in ceramic filtration units. Basu (1982) in India soaked ceramic candle filters with a pore size of 6 – 31
microns, and a filtration rate of 3 - 4 liters per hour, in silver salts. Filtered water with this system was bacteria-free.
Basu chose silver over gold as the bacteriocide, and also tested candle filters with finer pores that would capture the bacteria.
The filtration rate was so slow with these finer pores, however, that the filters were “not of much practical value.
Thus a larger pore size, combined with a disinfectant, is of more practical value because the flow rate is high enough to
provide enough water for a family.
Mechanisms of Action of Silver
Russell (1994) details the historic uses of silver, beginning with Aristotle advising
Alexander the Great to boil water and store it in silver or copper vessels to prevent waterborne disease on his campaigns.
In 1869, Ravelin reported that silver exerted its antimicrobial effect at very low concentrations, an effect with was later
termed "oligodynamic" or "active with few" (Russell, 1994). In 1881, Crede advocated silver to prevent
eye infections in newborns, and silver drops were used to prevent gonorrhea of the eye in newborns until very recently. In
1920, the microbiological action of silver was determined to be due to the Ag+ ions formed by tarnishing, surface-oxidation,
or electrical activation.
Today, silver is more commonly
used as a drinking water and swimming pool disinfectant in Europe than in the United States (Russell, 1994). Studies have shown that silver can be used when
chlorine is present for additional disinfection. Argyria, first reported in 1647, is less common today but is still
reported.
Three main mechanisms are responsible for bacterial inactivation
with silver (Russell, 1994):
1. Silver reacts with
thiol (sulphydryl, SH) groups in the bacterial cell
a.In structural
groups
b.In functional (enzymic) proteins
2.Silver produces structural changes in bacterial cell membranes
3.Silver interacts with nucleic acids
These three mechanisms are described in further detail in the following sections. Although
it is unknown at this time which of these mechanisms is predominant in the PFP filter, laboratory data clearly shows that
PFP filters impregnated with colloidal silver remove 99 – 100 percent of bacteria (CIRA-UNAN, various dates). Further
information on the mechanism of action of colloidal silver in the filter and data on laboratory tests on the filter are presented
in Report 2 (December 2001).
Heinig's research on
silver deposited on an inert surface is of special note in relation to the PFP filter. Heinig (1993) showed silver on a large
inert surface area exhibited a strong catalytic reaction with oxygen, which resulted in strong bactericidal activity.
The factors controlling the rate of the catalytic reaction were: the size and dispersion of the silver on the surface
area of the bed, and the volume of oxygen in solution. Heinig found that bacteria and viruses were killed on contact without
the need for the release of metals into the water.
Silver as an Enzyme Inhibitor
Living cells
are characterized by a complex and beautifully organized pattern of chemical reactions mediated and directed by enzyme systems
(Webb, 1963). Webb continues by describing the theory of inhibiting enzymes as a means to understanding the “energetics
of the cell.
Directly distorting the pathways of enzymically
directed reactions by the introduction of a chemical substance is one approach amongst others to alter metabolic activity.
Other ways to alter metabolic activity including changing the temperature or the pH, by irradiation of high pressure, are
nonspecific and seldom does one have any idea as to exactly what is occurring in the complex protoplasmic matrix. If one had
to choose the most interesting and important characteristic of enzyme inhibitors, what it is that makes them one of the most
powerful tools in so many fields of biological investigation, it would be their relative specificity. The more we know about
the exact nature of the perturbation produced and the more selective this action can be made, the more likely it is that clear
interrelationships will emerge and the goal of understanding the energetics of the cell be achieved.
A number of metals are known to inactivate the SH (sulfur-hydrogen, or sulfhydryl,
or thiol) bond in enzymes. Silver is widely used in biochemistry applications to determine if an enzyme has a SH group as
part of its functional structure.
Webb's summary of
data collected on the action of silver on the SH bond shows extremely varied inactivation depending on specific enzyme and
concentration (Table 4-2)These different reactivities could be attributed to an electric field surrounding the SH group, steric
factors depending on where the SH group is in the protein structure, occurrence of disulfide linkages, complexes of the SH
group with surrounding groups, and whether there is a single or double SH group. Other SH inhibitors studied include mercury,
arsenite, cadmium, iodine, ferricyanide, and permanganate.
Although there exists a large variation, SILVER clearly inactivates certain enzymes in sources that are responsible
for waterborne disease (Table 4-2). Waterborne disease sources are boldfaced in Table 4-2.
END OF EXTRACTS
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