Deprotonation of glutamic acid induced by weak magnetic field: An FTIR‐ATR study

Abstract

It has been claimed that weak extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMFs) can affect biochemical reactions and a wide-ranging body of literature is available on this topic. Nevertheless, the physical nature of these effects remains largely unknown. We investigated the influence of ELF-EMF on glutamic acid solutions using Fourier transform infrared-attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR) spectra. Samples were exposed for 10, 20, or 30 min to a weak EMF generated by Helmoltz coils, and then placed in a spectrometer. After exposure, those solutions that had a pH lower than the isoelectric point tended to show a shift toward the deprotonation of the carboxylic group, while solutions having a pH greater than the isoelectric point showed the deprotonation of the residual amine group. Moreover, at low pH values, we also detected a shift of the δ(antisym) band of the amine. The effects lasted a few minutes after exposure before the native configuration was restored. The spectral modifications were observed after each independent exposure to EMFs, and the same effects were seen by varying the frequencies in the range of 0-7 kHz. Therefore, the hypothesis of the existence of a resonant frequency that has been proposed elsewhere cannot be supported by the results of this study. The most surprising characteristic of this effect is the long-lasting nature of the perturbation, which is hard to be explained in terms of short-living excitations in biological matter.

Influence of magnetic fields on the hydration process of amino acids: Vibrational spectroscopy study of L‐phenylalanine and L‐glutamine

“…Further details of the experimental apparatus together with a simulation of the field inside the experimental region have been extensively described elsewhere [De Ninno and Congiu Castellano, 2011a]. The homogeneity of the field is guaranteed by the geometrical configuration.…”

“…The exposure interval has been fixed to 30 min because we have formerly observed that the effect of magnetic field, on solutions of amino acids, is induced in a time longer than 20 min and reaches a saturation in about 30 min [De Ninno and Congiu Castellano, 2011a]. During the exposure, the stability of temperature has been monitored with a thermocouple.…”

“…They are the natural starting point in studying the interactions between electromagnetic field (EMF) and living systems [Zhadin et al, 1998;Pazur, 2004;De Ninno and Congiu Castellano, 2011a]. They play a pivotal role in biology and represent the simplest block in our understanding of biochemistry.…”

“…They play a pivotal role in biology and represent the simplest block in our understanding of biochemistry. They are the natural starting point in studying the interactions between electromagnetic field (EMF) and living systems [Zhadin et al, 1998;Pazur, 2004;De Ninno and Congiu Castellano, 2011a]. In spite of a large effort in understanding the ultimate nature of the biological effect of non-ionizing EMF, these effects still remain unclear.…”

l-Glutamic acid release from a series of aluminum-based isoreticular porous coordination polymers

“…37,38 Glu has three different ionisable groups, the a-carboxyl group (pK a = 2.2), carboxyl group (pK a = 4.3), a-amino group (pK a = 9.7). 37,38 Glu has three different ionisable groups, the a-carboxyl group (pK a = 2.2), carboxyl group (pK a = 4.3), a-amino group (pK a = 9.7).…”