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Bioassay for assessing cell stress in the vicinity of radio-frequency irradiating antennas

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Monselise EB, Levkovitz A, Gottlieb HE, Kost D · 2011

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Exposure of water plants to radio-frequency fields from AM transmitting antennas resulted in alanine accumulation, a signal the researchers describe as a universal stress indicator.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers exposed water plants (etiolated duckweed) for 24 hours to radio-frequency electromagnetic fields ranging between 1.8 V m(-1) and 7.8 V m(-1), generated by AM 1.287 MHz transmitting antennas. The exposure resulted in alanine accumulation in the plant cells, which the researchers describe as a universal stress signal. The magnitude of the effect corresponds qualitatively to the level of RF-EMF exposure. When vitamin C at 10 mM was present, alanine accumulation was completely suppressed, suggesting the involvement of free radicals in the process.

Why This Matters

Alanine accumulation served as the key indicator, described by the researchers as a universal stress signal. The researchers describe the test as a useful bioassay for the quick detection of biological cell stress caused in the vicinity of RF irradiating antennas. The suppression of alanine accumulation by vitamin C led the researchers to suggest the involvement of free radicals in the process. The researchers describe a unique biological connection between exposure to RF-EMF and cell stress in the vicinity of RF transmitting antennas.

Exposure Details

Electric Field
7.8, 1.8 V/m
Source/Device
1.287 MHz
Exposure Duration
24 h

Exposure Context

This study used 7.8, 1.8 V/m for electric 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.

A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 1.3 MHz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 1.3 MHzPower lines50/60 HzCell phones~1 GHzWiFi2.4 GHz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

Study Details

The aim of this study is to observe Bioassay for assessing cell stress in the vicinity of radio-frequency irradiating antennas

The 24 h exposure of water plants (etiolated duckweed) to RF-EMF between 7.8 V m(-1) and 1.8 V m(-1)...

Resulted in alanine accumulation in the plant cells, a phenomenon we have previously shown to be a u...

This simple test, which lasts only 24 h, constitutes a useful bioassay for the quick detection of biological cell stress caused in the vicinity of RF irradiating antennas

Cite This Study
Monselise EB, Levkovitz A, Gottlieb HE, Kost D (2011). Bioassay for assessing cell stress in the vicinity of radio-frequency irradiating antennas J Environ Monit. 13(7):1890-1896, 2011.
Show BibTeX
@article{eb_2011_bioassay_for_assessing_cell_556,
  author = {Monselise EB and Levkovitz A and Gottlieb HE and Kost D},
  title = {Bioassay for assessing cell stress in the vicinity of radio-frequency irradiating antennas},
  year = {2011},
  
  url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21655615/},
}
PubMed: 21655615

Cited By (13 papers)

Quick Questions About This Study

The study used water plants called etiolated duckweed, exposed for 24 hours to radio-frequency electromagnetic fields.
Researchers measured alanine accumulation in plant cells, which they describe as a universal stress signal.
The magnitude of the effect corresponds qualitatively to the level of RF-EMF exposure.
In the presence of 10 mM vitamin C, alanine accumulation was completely suppressed, suggesting the involvement of free radicals in the process.
The fields were generated by AM 1.287 MHz transmitting antennas and ranged between 1.8 V m(-1) and 7.8 V m(-1).