2.4.1. Antimicrobial mechanisms
Nano-Ag is currently the most widely used antimicrobial
nanomaterial. Its strong antimicrobial activity, broad antimicrobial
spectrum, low human toxicity, and ease of use make it
a promising choice for water disinfection and microbial control.
It is now well accepted that the antimicrobial activity of
nano-silver largely stems from the release of silver ions (Xiu
et al., 2011, 2012). Silver ions can bind to thiol groups in vital
proteins, resulting in enzyme damage (Liau et al., 1997). It also
has been reported that silver ions can prevent DNA replication
and induce structural changes in the cell envelope (Feng et al.,