A novel environmentally friendly solution-based method for preparing dispersed silver particles is described. The simple and convenient approach consists in heating silver oxide particles dispersed in a highly alkaline water/acetone mixture. The data presented clearly show that acetone reduces completely and rapidly Ag2O particles to metallic silver at 60 degrees C. A mechanism explaining the provenance of the electrons responsible for the reduction of silver is proposed. (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.