As the world moves on into the digital era, will digital cameras see the end of traditional silver halide photography. with digital cameras providing almost instant pictures and the ability to manipulate the picture, it would seem inevitable, that the traditional methods of photogrphy will soon becoe a niche.
However modern uses for silver containing devices include water purification filters (home and industrial) and air filtration systems. As scientific principles developed, silver solutions began to appear as useful medicinal agents. Early silver preparations were often produced by grinding solid silver into small particles or producing silver salts by a chemical process. Large particles of silver are generally less effective as an antimicrobial and have the possibility of being deposited in tissue and causing an ashen pigmentation known as argyria. Similarly, silver salts are often prepared in high concentrations and may cause argyria or even toxic side effects. Toxicity is often due to the counter-ion in the salt solution (e.g. the nitrate in silver nitrates is highly destructive to normal tissues). Silver salts are still used today primarily for the treatment of burn patients to prevent infection from common bacterial pathogens.
Bibliography
Inorganic Chemistry, Clayden Greeves Warren Wothers, Oxford University press
Photographic process'
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Graham Ross Macleod april 2003