A series of antibacterial superabsorbents containing silver nanoparticles based on sodium acrylate (SA), 1-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone-silver ion complex (VP-Ag+) and N, N'-methylene-bisacrylamide (NMBA) were prepared by inverse suspension polymerization. The ascorbic acid (vitamin Q was used as reductant to reduce silver ion complex in the gels through in situ reduction method. The influence of the concentration of VP-Ag+ complex in the superabsorbents on the water absorbency, swelling behavior, and antibacterial effect of Candida albicans was investigated. Results showed that the water absorbency for sodium acrylate and VP copolymeric gel (SV gel) in deionized water was 1016 g H2O/g gel, but the water absorbency for SV-Ag series gel decreased when the silver nanoparticle was added. Results also showed that the antibacterial effect of the superabsorbents increased with an increase of the silver concentration (I similar to 10 ppm). (c) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.