How does iodine kill germs?
The microbiocidal action of Iodine is because of the active form, I2, which is polarized by water and like all halogens (chlorine, fluorine, bromine, etc.), acts as an extremely potent oxidizer. Activated iodine (I2) reacts in electrophilic reactions with enzymes of the respiratory chain as well as with amino acids located in cell membrane and cell wall proteins.