Millimeter waves or extremely high frequency electromagnetic fields in the environment: what are their effects on bacteria?

Abstract

Millimeter waves (MMW) or electromagnetic fields of extremely high frequencies at low intensity is a new environmental factor, the level of which is increased as technology advance. It is of interest that bacteria and other cells might communicate with each other by electromagnetic field of sub-extremely high frequency range. These MMW affected Escherichia coli and many other bacteria, mainly depressing their growth and changing properties and activity. These effects were non-thermal and depended on different factors. The significant cellular targets for MMW effects could be water, cell plasma membrane, and genome. The model for the MMW interaction with bacteria is suggested; a role of the membrane-associated proton FOF1-ATPase, key enzyme of bioenergetic relevance, is proposed. The consequences of MMW interaction with bacteria are the changes in their sensitivity to different biologically active chemicals, including antibiotics. Novel data on MMW effects on bacteria and their sensitivity to different antibiotics are presented and discussed; the combined action of MMW and antibiotics resulted with more strong effects. These effects are of significance for understanding changed metabolic pathways and distinguish role of bacteria in environment; they might be leading to antibiotic resistance in bacteria. The effects might have applications in the development of technique, therapeutic practices, and food protection technology.

The distinguishing effects of low-intensity electromagnetic radiation of different extremely high frequencies on Enterococcus hirae : growth rate inhibition and scanning electron microscopy analysis

“…Moreover, there are probably some compensatory cellular mechanisms which might prevent the increase in the EMF stress effects on bacteria (Soghomonyan et al . ).…”

“…) and others, especially lactic acid bacteria (Soghomonyan and Trchounian ) at different frequencies (Soghomonyan et al . ). Note that Enterococci belong to lactic acid bacteria (Fisher and Phillips ).…”

“…The interest to study EMF effects is of significance because of developing electromagnetic technologies and widening of their applications in telecommunications, environment control, as well as treatment of food and different medical and veterinary products (Soghomonyan et al . ; Pan et al . ).…”

“…Electromagnetic field (EMF) of extremely high frequencies is an environmental stress factor, which has different stimulative and depressive effects on living organisms, including bacteria (Soghomonyan et al 2016). The interest to study EMF effects is of significance because of developing electromagnetic technologies and widening of their applications in telecommunications, environment control, as well as treatment of food and different medical and veterinary products (Soghomonyan et al 2016;Pan et al 2017).…”

Effects of low-powered RF sweep between 0.01-20 GHz on female Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes: A collective behaviour analysis

“…However, a review has highlighted the possibility of cellular interactions with RF, including cell plasma membrane, genome, and the presence of water, which may the cause of the diversions from normal activities of various bacteria strains. This was articulated in the highlights of previous research, which observed altered ionic transport processes and enzymatic activity in the plasma membranes of bacteria when exposed to certain frequencies between 50–73 GHz [16]. The navigation of honeybees were said to be affected due to the magnetite structures in the bee, acting as a natural compass interfered by telecommunication antenna radiations [8].…”