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Antioxidant capacity of parsley cells (Petroselinum crispum L.) in relation to iron-induced ferritin levels and static magnetic field

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Rajabbeigi E, Ghanati F, Abdolmaleki P, Payez A · 2013

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Static magnetic fields at 30 milliTesla disrupted cellular antioxidant systems in this study, challenging assumptions about biological safety.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers exposed parsley cells to strong static magnetic fields and found the fields boosted antioxidant enzyme activity, protecting cells from damage. However, when combined with iron, the magnetic fields disrupted normal cellular defenses, suggesting these fields can interfere with how cells protect themselves.

Why This Matters

While this study used plant cells rather than human tissue, it reveals something important about how static magnetic fields interact with cellular antioxidant systems. The 30 milliTesla exposure is significantly stronger than typical household sources but comparable to some industrial equipment and certain medical devices. What's particularly noteworthy is how the magnetic field altered the function of ferritin, a protein that stores iron and was previously thought to protect cells from oxidative damage. The science demonstrates that even static fields can disrupt fundamental cellular processes, adding to the growing body of evidence that EMF exposures affect biological systems at the molecular level. You don't have to work around high-powered magnets to benefit from understanding these mechanisms.

Exposure Details

Magnetic Field
30 mG

Exposure Context

This study used 30 mG for magnetic fields:

Building Biology guidelines are practitioner-based limits from real-world assessments. BioInitiative Report recommendations are based on peer-reviewed science. Check Your Exposure to compare your own measurements.

Where This Falls on the Concern Scale

Study Exposure Level in ContextA logarithmic scale showing exposure levels relative to Building Biology concern thresholds and regulatory limits.Study Exposure Level in ContextThis study: 30 mGExtreme Concern5 mGFCC Limit2,000 mGEffects observed in the Extreme Concern range (Building Biology)FCC limit is 67x higher than this exposure level

Study Details

This study was aimed to evaluate antioxidant response of parsley cells to 21 ppm iron and static magnetic field (SMF; 30 mT).

The activity of catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and the contents of malonyldialdehyde,...

Exposure to SMF increased the activity of CAT in treated cells, while combination of iron and SMF tr...

These results cast doubt on the proposed functions of ferritin as a putative reactive oxygen species detoxifying molecule.

Cite This Study
Rajabbeigi E, Ghanati F, Abdolmaleki P, Payez A (2013). Antioxidant capacity of parsley cells (Petroselinum crispum L.) in relation to iron-induced ferritin levels and static magnetic field Electromagn Biol Med. 32(4):430-441, 2013.
Show BibTeX
@article{e_2013_antioxidant_capacity_of_parsley_448,
  author = {Rajabbeigi E and Ghanati F and Abdolmaleki P and Payez A},
  title = {Antioxidant capacity of parsley cells (Petroselinum crispum L.) in relation to iron-induced ferritin levels and static magnetic field},
  year = {2013},
  doi = {10.3109/15368378.2012.736441},
  url = {https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/15368378.2012.736441},
}

Quick Questions About This Study

Researchers exposed parsley cells to strong static magnetic fields and found the fields boosted antioxidant enzyme activity, protecting cells from damage. However, when combined with iron, the magnetic fields disrupted normal cellular defenses, suggesting these fields can interfere with how cells protect themselves.