FAQ's

Questions about the product - General

Silvertex® is an innovative 3D knitted fabric (technical textile), developed for the preservation of drinking and industrial water. The material is made of polyester, polyamide and silver.

The packaging and product are taken to the recyclables collection in an environmentally friendly manner. For more information, please contact the local municipal administration.

The innovative silvertex® spacer fabric is patented worldwide and therefore unique.

Our silvertex® products are developed and produced exclusively in Germany.

When using hard water, the silvertex® material may calcify. Calcification is removed by soaking the material in citric acid (descaler). In the case of stubborn dirt deposits, cleaning the material with the aid of washing-up liquid or mild detergent is recommended.

Questions about the product - installation and storage

Under the right storage conditions, silvertex® can easily be stored for up to 2 years without losing functionality:

  • Dark and protected from direct sunlight
  • Cool
  • Dry
  • Largely airtight
  • Avoid frequent touching

Always keep the product out of the reach of children (risk of suffocation!).

Fill fresh water into a clean tank, remove the Silvertex® hygiene net from the packaging and place it as centrally as possible in the tank. The material should not rest directly on the bottom of the tank! If necessary, use the device provided for this purpose.

Make sure that the material is completely covered (immersed) with water.

The net can be fastened with a nylon thread. So you can pull it out of the tank at any time.

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

Theoretically, this is possible, but we do not recommend it. When cutting, the cohesion of the textile fibers is lost, which can lead to contamination of the water.

Questions about the product - Safety

The concentrations of Ag+ ions in drinking water treated with silvertex® are in the range of 2 - 40 µg/l (depending on the initial quality of the water) and are thus below the guideline value of 0.08 mg/l according to the WHO guidelines for drinking water quality.

The treated (preserved) drinking water can be drunk without hesitation. Each region (such as the EU) and each country has its own regulations for drinking water. The WHO, for example, specifies a limit value of 0.08 mg/l dissolved silver.

Please check the guidelines of your country, if necessary we will help you.

No, the concentration of dissolved silver ions in drinking water does not exceed the permissible limits. Each substance dissolves only up to a certain concentration. This limit is reached at the point of chemical equilibrium.
For our silvertex® products, we use only metallic silver applied to textile fibers. We do not use nanosilver.
No, silvertex® products are not drugs or medical devices and therefore not suitable for the treatment of any disease.

Provided this is a drinking water application, there are no risks if you drink the treated water. This statement is also confirmed by the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR):

"The BfR also considered an unrealistic worst-case assumption in which a consumer drinks 2 liters of water per day from small plants from age one to age 70, exhausting the maximum silver concentration of 0.080 mg/L allowed after treatment."

The BfR concluded that there are no health concerns. This conclusion was also reached by the World Health Organization (WHO) in its publication "Silver in drinking water WHO/SDE/WSH/03.04/14.

The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency - U.S. Food and Drug Administration) and the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration), the authorities in the U.S., specify a so-called reference dose for silver, i.e. the amount of the chemical - given in mg/kg body weight and day - that should not cause any adverse health effects even if this exposure were to continue over a lifetime. The relevant value for silver is given by the EPA as 5μg per kg body weight per day. The threshold for the occurrence of adverse effects is reported to be 14μg per kg body weight per day. A summary presentation by researchers at the US FDA (Fung 1996) calculated from these EPA specifications a maximum value of the daily intake of silver considered safe of between 25 (for young children) and 350μg (for adults) per day.

The health advisory (HA -health advisory) published by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):

over the entire lifetime (lifetime HA) max. 0.1mg/liter

Source: Excerpt from BfR (Federal Institute for Risk Assessment) Statement No. 024 of December 28, 2009. Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung (Federal Institute for Risk Assessment), 2009. statement No. 024 of 28 December 2009. p. 8

Quelle: World Health Organization, 2017. Guidelines for drinking-water quality: fourth edition incorporating the first addendum. P. 415

over period of 10 years (long-term HA) max. 0.2mg/liter

(Source: Federal Ministry of Health, Section II at Radetzkystraße 2, 1031 Vienna February 2010, Nanosilver in cosmetics, hygiene articles and food contact materials Products, health and regulatory aspects p. 15 ff).

Questions about the product - application and effect

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 thegerm countdrops 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. We will be happy to advise you on this.
Selection:
Here are some examples:
  • 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!
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 the ISO 14001 environmental management system
  • Are easy to install and require minimal maintenance
Depending on system size and movement of the water. In small tanks (up to 30l) where the water is agitated, up to 3 minutes are sufficient to detect dissolved silver ions in the water. In larger tanks and reservoirs, such as in industry, it can take up to 3 weeks for the silver ions to reach the entire system.
The application time of the silvertex® products results from the tank size and the respective maximum water consumption.

The duration of application can be found in the corresponding data of the products.
Silvertex® products have been developed for the conservation of a wide range of water volumes and system sizes from 1l to 600,000l. Since overdosing cannot occur, we recommend using the next larger product if specified water volumes are exceeded.
There is no minimum volume for water tanks for silvertex®. However, care should be taken to ensure that Silvertex® is completely immersed in the water for optimum effect.
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.
Microorganisms usually react very sensitively to silver. Independent test laboratories have examined the efficacy of silvertex® against common pathogenic germs, such as e-coli, enterococcus, legionella but also pseudomonas aeruginosa, and achieved very good results.
Silvertex® is well suited for the preservation of demineralized, deionized or demineralized water.
No, the silvertex® products are not particulate filters.

Sale

B2C

All products derived from the silvertex® brand are available on our website https://www.goowaco.de/shop/.

Currently, we ship exclusively via DHL. In the future, we will expand the list of our logistics service providers if necessary.
If you wish a separate delivery or have special delivery requirements, please contact us before ordering.
Shipping costs are based on the conditions of our logistics service providers. If possible, we try to avoid excessive shipping costs.

Unfortunately, at the moment we can not offer you self-collection.

B2B

For more information, send an email to kontakt@silvertex-aqua.de or contact us at 030/9799259-20.

Questions about the product - Application and effect - Industry

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)!

Simple. Smart. Silvertex.

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