These metal colloids are doubling shelf life and turning away toxins
Colloids are mixtures in which microscopic particles are evenly dispersed throughout another substance, such as a liquid medium like water.
Known for their stability, uniform dispersion and ability to interact at the molecular level, colloids do not settle or separate over time.
Metal colloids have been used for their antimicrobial and antioxidant properties for millennia. Ancient Egyptians and Ancient Greeks, for example, used silver for its perceived healing and antimicrobial properties, despite lacking the research available today to prove its usefulness.
Metal colloids today
Now, metals are still used in advanced formulations, preserving items such as food and cosmetics with their antimicrobial and antioxidant properties.
However, metal colloids traditionally present some disadvantages, such as production costs, overreliance on toxic chemicals and high energy consumption.
To accommodate increasing regulatory restrictions such as EU/UK Biocidal Products Regulation and bans on hazardous preservatives in consumer goods, traditional metal colloid technologies will need to evolve quickly.
Meet Metalchemy
London-based chemical manufacturer Metalchemy is leading the charge on this with its plant-based and biologically synthesised metal colloids.
“We patented a plant-based method that uses common plants that combine with ionic liquids of metals. We can then produce these colloids by transforming the ionic liquids into particles of silver, gold and platinum in suspension water,” says Metalchemy cofounder and CEO Federico Trotta.
Metalchemy cofounder and CEO Federico Trotta
Metalchemy produces colloidal silver, gold and platinum for mass markets using a patented method that makes the process more sustainable, while lowering overall production costs and time.
“It’s a massive market. The market will be doubling in the next five years,” says Trotta.
The company’s approach significantly lowers global warming potential, with a reduction of up to 40 times compared to conventional toxic methods.
How are Metalchemy’s metal colloids used?
Metalchemy’s metal colloids assist in the production and preservation of cosmetics, food and medical products.
“Our mission is to apply sustainable preservation systems and remove toxic chemicals from our day-to-day products for a healthier, better future for all of us,” says Trotta.
Metalchemy’s green silver technology, for example, can be embedded in synthetic and biomaterial packaging, killing harmful bacteria, fungi and viruses, and delaying microbial spoilage. Perishable food products such as cheese, meats and vegetables kept in packaging made with the company’s metal colloids can last up to twice as long.
Metachemy’s technology is effective for paper-based packaging, as well as conventional synthetics (LDPE,HDPE,PET) and novel biodegradable materials. The packaging technology is certified by ISO 9001 and ISO 17025 testing compliant laboratory Eurofins Scientific.
The company's metal colloids can also be infused into the products themselves. Recently, Metalchemy helped to create a hydrating, purifying and cleansing cosmetic spray. The product was finished in four weeks and is already available on Amazon.
Platinum colloids are particularly useful for cosmetics, with anti-inflammatory properties and antioxidants often added into lotions and sprays.
In addition to packaging and cosmetics, the metal colloids can also used in medical gels and wound dressings, providing antimicrobial action and antioxidant activity.
Some of uses go beyond conventional metal colloid applications, increasing the product quality while maintaining safe standards and antioxidant qualities.
“These plants have characteristics which are unique to them – they’ve got antioxidants, they’ve got antimicrobials – and so when you combine them with the silver you actually get a synergistic effect which makes the particles active,” says Trotta.
So the sustainability of the product has actually become one of its strengths, challenging the misconception that sustainability has to be expensive or less effective in this world of countless regulations.
Trotta explains why this misconception is so prevalent, saying: “I think it’s because sustainable processes usually are new processes so as a consequence, they need to be more expensive. They’re not as well established as industries which are hundreds of years old.
“The chemical industry needs to innovate and look into sustainability. Now the question is just ‘when’ rather than ‘if’ or ‘why’.”
Metalchemy’s colloidal silver, gold and platinum is available as a standalone mixture for companies to use independently, as well as through Metalchemy’s product development, scale-up and commercialisation services.
For more information, visit www.metalchemy.tech
