Silver ions destroy bacteria on contact by rupturing their cell membranes and disrupting their DNA replication.

Silver's antimicrobial power stems from the oligodynamic effect, in which metal ions exert a lethal impact on living cells. When silver ions (Ag+) contact bacteria, they bind to sulfur-containing proteins in the cell wall, causing the membrane to rupture and leak its contents—resulting in immediate cell death.Once inside the cell, silver ions disrupt the bacteria's metabolic processes by binding to DNA and RNA, preventing replication. This multi-faceted attack explains why bacteria struggle to develop resistance to silver compared to traditional antibiotics, which typically target only a single enzyme.Historical evidence shows that the Phoenicians used silver-lined vessels to preserve water and wine as early as 1200 BCE. In modern medicine, the FDA approved silver sulfadiazine in 1968 for treating severe burns. This topical cream remains a gold standard in hospitals worldwide for preventing infections in damaged skin tissue.Research published in Nature has shown that combining small amounts of silver with existing antibiotics can increase their effectiveness by up to 1,000 times. Today, silver nanoparticles are embedded in surgical masks, athletic wear, and other products, creating self-sanitizing surfaces that eliminate 99.9% of bacteria within minutes.