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Changes in mitochondrial functioning with electromagnetic radiation of ultra high frequency as revealed by electron paramagnetic resonance methods

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Burlaka A, Selyuk M, Gafurov M, Lukin S, Potaskalova V, Sidorik E · 2014

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Radar-level EMF exposure damaged cellular energy production in rats, suggesting current occupational safety limits may be insufficient.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Ukrainian researchers exposed rats to ultra-high frequency electromagnetic radiation for 28 days at levels equivalent to maximum permitted doses for radar station workers. They found significant damage to mitochondria (the cell's power plants) in liver, heart, and blood vessel tissues, including disrupted energy production and increased harmful free radicals. This cellular damage was more severe when the radiation was delivered in pulses rather than continuously.

Why This Matters

This study provides important evidence that EMF exposure at occupational safety limits can cause measurable cellular damage. What makes this research particularly significant is that it examined exposure levels considered 'safe' by current regulations - yet still found clear biological effects. The mitochondrial damage observed here is especially concerning because these cellular powerhouses are critical for every biological process in your body. When mitochondria malfunction, cells can't produce energy efficiently and generate more harmful free radicals. The finding that pulsed radiation caused more damage than continuous exposure also aligns with other research suggesting that the pattern of EMF exposure matters as much as the intensity. This adds to the growing body of evidence that our current safety standards may not adequately protect human health.

Exposure Information

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study. Duration: 28 days

Study Details

To study the effects of electromagnetic radiation (EMR) of ultra high frequency (UHF) in the doses equivalent to the maximal permitted energy load for the staffs of the radar stations on the biochemical processes that occur in the cell organelles.

Liver, cardiac and aorta tissues from the male rats exposed to non-thermal UHF EMR in pulsed and con...

The qualitative and quantitative disturbances in electron transport chain (ETC) of mitochondria are ...

(i) Abnormalities in the mitochondrial ETC of liver and aorta cells are more pronounced for animals radiated in a pulsed mode; (ii) the alterations in the functioning of the mitochondrial ETC cause increase of superoxide radicals generation rate in all samples, formation of cellular hypoxia, and intensification of the oxide-initiated metabolic changes; and (iii) electron paramagnetic resonance methods could be used to track the qualitative and quantitative changes in the mitochondrial ETC caused by the UHF EMR.

Cite This Study
Burlaka A, Selyuk M, Gafurov M, Lukin S, Potaskalova V, Sidorik E (2014). Changes in mitochondrial functioning with electromagnetic radiation of ultra high frequency as revealed by electron paramagnetic resonance methods Int J Radiat Biol. 90:357-362, 2014.
Show BibTeX
@article{a_2014_changes_in_mitochondrial_functioning_1621,
  author = {Burlaka A and Selyuk M and Gafurov M and Lukin S and Potaskalova V and Sidorik E},
  title = {Changes in mitochondrial functioning with electromagnetic radiation of ultra high frequency as revealed by electron paramagnetic resonance methods},
  year = {2014},
  doi = {10.3109/09553002.2014.899448},
  url = {https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/09553002.2014.899448},
}

Quick Questions About This Study

Ukrainian researchers exposed rats to ultra-high frequency electromagnetic radiation for 28 days at levels equivalent to maximum permitted doses for radar station workers. They found significant damage to mitochondria (the cell's power plants) in liver, heart, and blood vessel tissues, including disrupted energy production and increased harmful free radicals. This cellular damage was more severe when the radiation was delivered in pulses rather than continuously.