page_title: Oxidative dissolution of silver nanoparticles
section_title: Mechanism
hierarchical_section_title: Oxidative dissolution of silver nanoparticles / Mechanism
caption_attribution_description: English: AgNP dissolution is attenuated by biological components of the cytosol such as cysteine and glucose.
context_page_description: Silver nanoparticles act primarily through a process known as oxidative dissolution, wherein Ag+ ions are released through an oxidative mechanism. AgNPs have potentially vast applications within the fields of medicine, science, and food and drug industries due to their antimicrobial properties, low cytotoxicity in humans, and inexpensive cost.
context_section_description: Silver is stable in water and needs an oxidizing element to achieve oxidative dissolution. When oxidizing agents such as hydrogen peroxide or oxygen are present, they dissolute AgNPs to release Ag⁺. The release of Ag⁺ leads to creation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) inside cells, which can further dissolute the nanoparticles. Some nano silver particles develop protective Ag₃OH surface groups  and it is thought that dissolution removes these groups and forms oxygen radicals, which attenuate reactivity of the AgNPs by entering into the lattice to form a highly stable Ag₆O octahedral structure. It has been thought AgNP efficacy can mainly be attributed to shape, as nanoprisms and naorods have proven more active than nanospheres because they possess more highly exposed facets, thus leading to a faster release of Ag+ ions.
caption: Oxidative dissolution of AgNPs is attenuated in biological systems by components found in the cytosol, such as cysteine and glucose.
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