"The zinc-finger antiviral protein (ZAP) is a host factor that inhibits the replication of many viruses by preventing the accumulation of viral mRNAs in the cytoplasm."
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18418085/
"ZAP binds to specific viral mRNAs and recruits cellular mRNA degradation machinery to degrade the target RNA."
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22720057/
"Heavy metals including gold and silver are antibacterial, but copper’s specific atomic makeup gives it extra killing power, Keevil says. Copper has a free electron in its outer orbital shell of electrons that easily takes part in oxidation-reduction reactions (which also makes the metal a good conductor). As a result, Schmidt says, it becomes a “molecular oxygen grenade.” Silver and gold don’t have the free electron, so they are less reactive.
Copper kills in other ways as well, according to Keevil, who has published papers on the effect. When a microbe lands on copper, ions blast the pathogen like an onslaught of missiles, preventing cell respiration and punching holes in the cell membrane or viral coating and creating free radicals that accelerate the kill, especially on dry surfaces. Most importantly, the ions seek and destroy the DNA and RNA inside a bacteria or virus, preventing the mutations that create drug-resistant superbugs. “The properties never wear off, even if it tarnishes,” Schmidt says."
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/copper-virus-kill-180974655/
"Silver nanoparticles have mainly been studied for their antimicrobial potential against bacteria, but have also proven to be active against several types of viruses including human imunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B virus, herpes simplex virus, respiratory syncytial virus, and monkey pox virus. The use of metal nanoparticles provides an interesting opportunity for novel antiviral therapies. Since metals may attack a broad range of targets in the virus there is a lower possibility to develop resistance as compared to conventional antivirals."
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6264685/