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[Enzymatic activity of some tissues and blood serum from animals and humans exposed to microwaves and hypothesis on the possible role of free radical processes in the nonlinear effects and modification of emotional behavior of animals]

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Akoev IG, Pashovkina MS, Dolgacheva LP, Semenova TP, Kalmykov VL. · 2002

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Extremely weak microwave radiation triggered measurable enzyme changes in cells, suggesting biological effects occur far below current safety limits.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Russian researchers exposed rats and humans to very low-power microwave radiation (0.8-10 microW/cm²) and measured changes in key enzymes that control cellular energy and brain chemistry. They found that even these extremely weak exposures triggered complex biochemical changes, including altered enzyme activity and behavioral changes in rats. The researchers propose that microwaves activate free radicals in cells, setting off chain reactions that can damage cellular energy production.

Why This Matters

This study reveals something particularly concerning about microwave radiation exposure. The power levels tested here are extraordinarily low - thousands of times weaker than what your cell phone produces when making a call. Yet the researchers documented measurable biochemical changes in both animals and humans. The proposed mechanism involves free radical activation, which could help explain why some people experience immediate sensitivity to EMF exposure even at levels regulators consider 'safe.' What makes this research especially significant is its focus on enzymatic processes that control cellular energy production. If microwave radiation can disrupt these fundamental cellular processes at such low power levels, it raises serious questions about our current safety standards that only consider heating effects from much higher exposures.

Exposure Details

Power Density
0.8 - 10 µW/m²

Exposure Context

This study used 0.8 - 10 µW/m² for radio frequency:

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: 0.8 - 10 µW/m²Extreme Concern1,000 uW/m2FCC Limit10M uW/m2Effects observed in the Slight Concern range (Building Biology)FCC limit is 12,500,000x higher than this exposure level

Study Details

The aim of this study is to observe Enzymatic activity of some tissues and blood serum from animals and humans exposed to microwaves and hypothesis on the possible role of free radical processes in the nonlinear effects and modification of emotional behavior of animals

The dependence of activities of actomyosin ATPase, alkaline phosphatase, aspartataminotranspherase, ...

Series of nonlinear phenomenons, inexplicable from positions of the energy approaches are revealed, ...

These inferences are obliquely confirmed by the experimentally revealed correlation between activity of monoaminoxidase and integrative activity of the rat brain.

Cite This Study
Akoev IG, Pashovkina MS, Dolgacheva LP, Semenova TP, Kalmykov VL. (2002). [Enzymatic activity of some tissues and blood serum from animals and humans exposed to microwaves and hypothesis on the possible role of free radical processes in the nonlinear effects and modification of emotional behavior of animals] Radiatsionnaia Biologiia, Radioecologiia, 01 May 2002, 42(3):322-330.
Show BibTeX
@article{ig_2002_enzymatic_activity_of_some_803,
  author = {Akoev IG and Pashovkina MS and Dolgacheva LP and Semenova TP and Kalmykov VL.},
  title = {[Enzymatic activity of some tissues and blood serum from animals and humans exposed to microwaves and hypothesis on the possible role of free radical processes in the nonlinear effects and modification of emotional behavior of animals]},
  year = {2002},
  
  url = {https://europepmc.org/article/med/12125273},
}

Quick Questions About This Study

Russian researchers exposed rats and humans to very low-power microwave radiation (0.8-10 microW/cm²) and measured changes in key enzymes that control cellular energy and brain chemistry. They found that even these extremely weak exposures triggered complex biochemical changes, including altered enzyme activity and behavioral changes in rats. The researchers propose that microwaves activate free radicals in cells, setting off chain reactions that can damage cellular energy production.