US Patent 7514093 Vitreous antimicrobial agent and antimicrobial product

A vitreous antimicrobial agent that can exhibit excellent antimicrobial properties when added to various types of resins, that has excellent discoloration resistance and hot water resistance, and that can easily be produced at a commercial scale. The vitreous antimicrobial agent includes, relative to 100 mass % of total glass components, 0.1 to 2 mass % of Ag2O, 40.5 to 49 mass % of ZnO, 6 to 9.5 mass % of SiO2, 30.5 to 39.5 mass % of B2O3, 2 to 10 mass % of an alkaline earth metal oxide, and 6 to 7.5 mass % of Na2O; the vitreous antimicrobial agent comprising, in addition to these, 0.01 to 5 mass % of CeO2 as necessary. An antimicrobial resin composition and an antimicrobial product including the vitreous antimicrobial agent.