Final answer:
Chlorine dioxide, likely the intended compound in the question, kills microbes by interfering with nutrient transport across the cell membrane, not by disrupting protein function. It is heavy metals that disrupt protein function to kill microbes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question about whether chloride dioxide disrupts protein function to kill microbes can be somewhat misleading because typically, chlorine dioxide is the compound known for its antimicrobial properties, not 'chloride dioxide.' If we are to correct the question to chlorine dioxide, the answer would be true. Chlorine dioxide kills microbes by interfering with the nutrient transport across the cell membrane, not by disrupting protein function. Heavy metals, such as silver and copper, are known to kill microbes by binding to proteins, thereby inhibiting enzymatic activity and causing proteins to denature, as shown in the reference provided.
Therefore, to clarify, heavy metals disrupt protein function to kill microbes, while chlorine dioxide affects the cell membrane integrity. This distinction is important in the context of microbial control methods.