Does silver really have antibacterial properties?

Silver ion antibacterial agents can kill over 650 types of bacteria and are considered a non-toxic, odorless, non-irritating, non-polluting “green sterilization product”. Silver ions ($Ag^+$) have a smaller radius and relatively larger surface area than nano-silver, resulting in a qualitative leap in antibacterial action. For instance, a trace concentration of just 5–10 ppb is effective in killing E. coli.