FAQ's

Used as a preservative, the effect of silvertex® is based on the principle of contamination prevention. The material is installed in a clean, water-bearing system and prevents microbial contamination by introduced germs.

On contact with water or moisture, silver ions are released from the fixed metallic silver (no nano silver) in the textile. The silver ions dock onto the germs, interrupt vital processes on and in the bacterial cells until the bacteria are finally killed. This process is self-regulating and repeats itself until the silver ions in the material are completely used up ( 🡪see shelf life of silvertex®). According to this principle, the water is permanently preserved.

The main difference between a preservative and a disinfectant lies in the principle of action. Preservatives are used preventively to continuously protect fresh water from contamination over a defined application period. Disinfectants, on the other hand, are used to sterilize an already contaminated system. The reaction time of the two processes is different, disinfectants reduce the germ count very quickly, preservatives on the other hand need much longer until the germ count drops. Both processes can usually be combined well with each other.

Everywhere where water is stored temporarily.

Here are some examples:

• Cooling towers or similar.
• Temporary storage tanks, tubs or similar for process water
• Air treatment devices such as humidifiers or dehumidifiers
• Air/wet scrubber
• Emergency showers with tanks
• Testing machines with tubs/tanks
• Water tanks for reverse osmosis systems, ion exchangers (permeate)

Yes, our standard products are ready for immediate use. Individual solutions, e.g. for industrial applications, require installation assistance ( see Installation of silvertex®). We will be happy to advise you on this.

Selection:

• Hanging in the container: (sinker in the lower area), fixed in the upper area (e.g. hook, tension ring)
• As a piece on stainless steel/plastic rods (product is attached to a pre-built installation).
• Clamped in a frame (flexible or rigid)
• Fastened flush to the wall with clamping ring; sink in the lower part of the material

We will be happy to advise you on the choice and manufacture of an installation option!

Many commercially available preservatives and disinfectants are chemicals that are hazardous to health and the environment, requiring permanent dosing by qualified personnel or high investment costs. Silvertex® not only has certified efficacy, but is self-dosing and regulating without the need for an external energy source. For the use of silvertex® you need neither qualified personnel nor costly maintenance for the effectiveness period of up to one year.

The self-dosing silvertex® products

• Protect water piping systems and tanks from biological contamination
• Reduce the use of pollutants by replacing biocides containing chlorine
• Contribute to ISO 14001 environmental management systems
• Are easy to install and require minimal maintenance

Depending on system size and movement of the water. In small tanks (up to 30l), in which the water is moved, 3 minutes are often sufficient to detect dissolved silver ions in the water. In very large tanks and reservoirs, such as in industry, it can take up to 3 weeks for the silver ions to reach the entire system. 

The dimension and effective duration of the silvertex® products results from the system size and the respective maximum water consumption. From this, the silvertex® quantity required for your process is calculated. For industrial applications where the product is not installed in waters that are not treated according to the German Drinking Water Ordinance (TrinkwV), there are possibilities to test the effectiveness indirectly, e.g. by determining the colony forming units (cfu).

The silvertex® products have been developed for the conservation of a wide range of water volumes and system sizes from 1 l to 600,000 l (sizes tested to date). Up to now, flow rates of up to 800m³/h have been treated with silvertex®.

Conditionally, i.e. at very low algae concentrations (such as in drinking water) silvertex® can inhibit the growth of algae. For open systems or increased algae concentrations, we recommend additionally using an algicide.

While some virus species are sensitive to silver, this statement cannot be generalized for all virus species

Viruses are not microorganisms, but molecules that contain the genetic material - i.e. DNA or RNA - with the information for their reproduction. Unlike bacteria, viruses do not consist of their own cell, nor do they have their own metabolism. They have no energy production of their own and no means of protein synthesis. Viruses invade animal, plant or human cells. They use these living cells as "host cells." The virus docks onto the host cell and has it produce its required building blocks. Once the genetic material of the virus is released, the host cell is forced to produce numerous virus particles and assemble them into new viruses. The host cell then dies and thousands of viruses are released, which immediately set off in search of a new host cell.

There are countless species of bacteria in the world. Most of them react very sensitively to silver. We have tested the common pathogenic germs, such as E-Coli, Enterococcus, Legionella, but also Pseudomonas aeruginosa, for effectiveness and achieved very good results. If you have problems with a specific microorganism, we will be happy to advise you. If we do not have any tests yet, we are ready to examine the species for you together with our cooperation laboratories.

Silvertex® is well suited for the preservation of desalinated, deionized or
demineralized water.

No, the silvertex® products are not cleaning agents or filters. Only clean systems can be protected from contamination. Silvertex® cannot be used in waste water or heavily contaminated water.

Guideline values (conditions tested to date): Parameter Value pH 6 - 8,5 el. Conductivity μS/cm 100 - 2500 Iron, aluminum mg/l < 2 Chloride mg/l <300 Sulfate, phosphate, nitrate mg/l < 150 Total water hardness °dH max. 30 Permanent water temp. °C max. 50 TOC (total organic carbon) mg/l < 20 COD (chemical oxygen demand) mg/l < 50 BOD (biological oxygen demand) mg/l <50 org. Solvent individual check org. Components individual check Filling volume (tank volume) m³ 600 Circulation volume m³/h max. 800 Blowdown m³/d max. 80 Silver effect concentration HD 57 µg/l 5-80 All deviations from the guide values must be checked individually.

The material is not suitable for aluminum or steel containers (risk of corrosion)!