Silver (CED0000473)

Silver belongs to the homogeneous transition metal compounds, a class of homogeneous metal compounds within the inorganic compounds. It has the formula Ag and an average molecular weight of 107.87 g/mol. At room temperature, this exogenous compound is a solid. Silver is used industrially as a biocide, deodorizer, softener and conditioner, dye, surface modifier, catalyst, and plating agent. Biologically, it acts as an antimicrobial agent (PMC5905846) and a Lewis acid (PMC7735722). It is found in or released from 30 recorded sources, including coins, antiseptics and disinfectants, building and construction materials such as ceilings, stairs and ramps, and tents or canopies. Other sources include food contact materials, the preparation of vinegar, the processing of fish, and various electrical and electronic equipment such as amplifiers, antennas, communication cables or conductors, and adjustable resistors. It is also present in household cleaning and consumer products like soap dispensers, ash trays, tobacco pipes, and non-electric simulated smoking devices. Recorded exposure routes include oral, inhalation, topical, touch, dental, and extracorporeal. In plastics, silver is used in acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polyamide, polyurethane, high-density polyethylene, and low-density polyethylene. It is released in polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, polystyrene, and polyvinyl chloride. Silver interacts with 24 recorded protein targets. The silver ion inhibits NA+,K+-ATPase activity, which disrupts intracellular ion concentrations, targeting proteins including sodium/potassium-transporting ATPase subunit gamma (FXYD2) and subunits alpha-1, alpha-2, and alpha-3 (ATP1A1, ATP1A2, ATP1A3). Additionally, the silver ion disrupts selenium-catalyzed sulfhydryl oxidation-reduction reactions by inhibiting glutathione peroxidase activity, targeting glutathione peroxidase 1, 2, 3, and 6 (GPX1, GPX2, GPX3, GPX6). Other targets include metallothionein-1A (MT1A), metallothionein-2 (MT2A), putative metallothionein MT1DP, and a binder of copper-transporting ATPase 1 (ATP7A).