Medical/biological study (experimental study)

Mobile phone radiation inhibits Vigna radiata (mung bean) root growth by inducing oxidative stress med./bio.

By: Sharma VP, Singh HP, Kohli RK, Batish DR

Published in: Sci Total Environ 2009; 407 (21): 5543-5547

Aim of study (acc. to author)

To study whether electromagnetic fields from cell phones inhibit growth of mung bean (Vigna radiata) through induction of stress responses.

Background/further details

50 seeds were exposed and 50 seeds were sham-exposed. After exposure, seeds were allowed to germinate in Petri dishes for 48 h.

Endpoint

effects on plants: root growth and oxidative stress

Exposure

- mobile communications
- mobile phone
- GSM

Exposure	Parameters
Exposure 1: 900 MHz Modulation type: pulsed Exposure duration: continuous for 0.5 h, 1 h, 2 hr, 4 hr	power density: 8.55 µW/cm² average over time electric field strength: 5.7 V/m

Exposure 1

Main characteristics

Frequency	900 MHz
Type	electromagnetic field
Exposure duration	continuous for 0.5 h, 1 h, 2 hr, 4 hr

Modulation

Modulation type	pulsed
Repetition frequency	217 Hz

Exposure setup

Exposure source	cellular phone
Distance between exposed object and exposure source	8 cm
Chamber	26 cm x 47.5 cm x 17.5 cm closed shielded chamber acting as Faraday cage; all walls layered with 2 mm thick aluminum
Setup	two GSM mobile phones positioned each at one end of the chamber; seeds placed between them; phones used in talk mode
Sham exposure	A sham exposure was conducted.

Parameters

Measurand	Value	Type	Method	Mass	Remarks
power density	8.55 µW/cm²	average over time	measured	-	-
electric field strength	5.7 V/m	-	-	-	-

Exposed system:

plant
mung bean

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

molecular biosynthesis: oxidative stress, formation of reactive oxygen species (content of malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide; absorption measurement), root oxidizability (amount of red triphenyl formazan, absorption measurement), enzyme activities of antioxidant enzymes in roots (superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, guaiacol peroxidase, catalase and glutathione reductase; absorption measurement); root membrane integrity (ion leakage, electrical conducitivity)
effects on plants: root and plumule growth (lengths), germination and oxidative stress (see "molecular biosynthesis")

Investigated system:

root homogenates and supernatants
investigation on living organism

Time of investigation:

after exposure

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

The data showed that cell phone electromagnetic field exposure significantly inhibited the germination (at ≥2 h), and radicle and plumule growths (≥1 h) in mung bean in a time-dependent manner. Furthermore, exposure enhanced malondialdehyde content (indicating lipid peroxidation), and increased hydrogen peroxide cumulation and root oxidizability in mung bean roots (inducing oxidative stress and cellular damage). Under exposure, there was also a significant upregulation in the enzyme activities of scavenging enzymes in the roots.
The authors conclude that cell phone electromagnetic field exposure inhibit root growth of mung bean by inducing reactive oxygen species-generated oxidative stress despite increased enzyme activities of antioxidant enzymes.

Study character:

medical/biological study
experimental study
full/main study

Study funded by

not stated/no funding

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