[manvsbear]

Hi,
 I am working on a project. I have to relate chemistry to the field in which I intend to work. I would like to be a wound care nurse. I used to work at a hospital where they used silver nitrate to cauterize and and lower the bioburden of wounds with lots of hypergranulation tissue. I have looked many places but cannot find the exact chemical process that occurs when the silver nitrate comes in contact with the wound. Can someone explain exactly what is happening? I understand that AgNO3(the silver nitrate) goes through some sort of decomposition or possibly a single or double displacement but what causes this and what are the products of this reaction? Also I know that it's the silver cations that have the sanitizing effect but what causes them to break off of the silver nitrate molecule and what exactly do they bind with to destroy bacteria;what is the chemical formula for this? I realize this is a lot to ask and I appreciate any help you can give.


Thanks

[rabolisk]

In a silver nitrate solution, the silver ions are already free. They only interact weakly with the water. The nitrate ion is just there to provide the silver ion in aqueous form.

[manvsbear]

ooooooohhhhhh. thank you so much. I would still like to know how the solution cauterizes. actually now that I think about it there is a company that makes swabs that have silver nitrate on the end and they said that it is in a solid form on the swab;this is the form that I am interested in as this is how it is applied to a wound. are you saying that once it comes in contact with the wound it separates? or is there just no way that silver nitrate is in a solid form?