The vacuolar potential of characean cells subjected to electromagnetic radiation in the range 200–8,200 MHz

Abstract

Single giant cells of Chara braunii and Nitella flexilis were placed in a microstrip exposure apparatus and subjected to bursts of electromagnetic radiation (carrier frequencies from 200 to 8,200 MHz) at a nominal power level of 100 W/m2. The vacuolar potential was monitored with a micropipette, and offsets as low as 1 microV could be resolved in real time by suitable filtering and signal averaging; under these conditions, no offsets of the vacuolar potential were detected. At much higher power levels (corresponding to greater than or equal to 2 V rms between microstrip and ground plane), the slow hyperpolarizing ramp reported at lower frequencies could be seen but, because of insufficient power, could not be accurately measured. It appeared to decay beyond 500 MHz and to be absent at and above 950 MHz. To investigate reports that snail neurons irradiated for 1 h at 2,450 MHz and approximately 15.5 W/kg developed lowered membrane resistivities, Characean cells were exposed in the microstrip apparatus for 1 h at 2,450 MHz and 230 W/m2; their membrane resistivities were found to be lowered about 18.5%.

Microwave‐induced changes in nerve cells: Effects of modulation and temperature

“…These results seem to suggest a direct microwave field interaction with nerve cells, since the saline temperature was held constant [Arber, 1976[Arber, , 1981Campbell and Brandt, 19811 and the effect was in opposition to that observed under conventional heating [Wachtel et al, 19751. It should be added that recently Barsoum and Pickard [1982] also found a fall in the membrane resistance of Characean cells when temperature of the bathing solution was kept constant. It has been supposed [Arber, 19791 that temperature can influence the conditions under which microwave fields interact with biological objects.…”

Radiofrequency Radiation Effects on Excitable Tissues

“…This will provide information on effects of chronic long-term exposure on cardiac cell membranes. Long-term effects have already been reported for frog sciatic nerve [371, snail neurons [2], and plant cells [7].…”

Effect of Microwave Exposure on the Blood Sugar Metabolism in Rat and the Role of Vitamins C and E

“…Those associated with heating lead to perturbation in biological reactions, reaction rates current flow and e ruction of cell membranes (9,10,11,12), thereby producing some observable and measureable physiological parameters. Some studies have shown that exposure to (MW) radiation produced effects which include activation of peritoneal macrophages to a viricidal state (12), increased immune response (13), modification of the lipid peroxidation conditions (14,15). In some of our previous reports) (14,15), we have suggested that many of these effects are caused by free oxygen, free radicals, peroxides and superoxides.…”