Allan Sutton's original colloidal silver is formed through the electrolysis of 99.99% fine silver in deionised, reverse osmosis filtrated "pure" living spring water. An ion is formed when an atom surrenders one or more electrons. The ion remains in solution searching for some substance with which to bond that can supply the lost electron (s). "Pure" or de-ionized water has negligible impurities, thus supplying no such substance with which the silver ions may bond. Many everyday substances are produced from colloids among these are rubber, liquid soap and plastics. Colloids play an important part in the digestion and excretion of substances in the body.