Final answer:
Silver salts are indeed used as antimicrobial agents and have been historically valued for their ability to fight infections effectively. They work by binding to and denaturing proteins in microbes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that silver salts are used as antimicrobial agents is true. Silver exhibits excellent antimicrobial properties and has been deployed for this purpose throughout history. silver compounds such as silver nitrate, have been used to prevent eye infections in newborns and keep wounds from becoming infected. Today silver is often paired with antibiotics, making these antibiotics significantly more potent.
Despite the positive effects there is evidence suggesting heavy metals like silver might promote antibiotic resistance. Furthermore silver's oligodynamic nature means that it is effective even in low concentrations, making it an efficient antimicrobial agent. It binds to sulfur-containing amino acids within proteins, leading to the denaturation of these proteins, which effectively kills microbes.