INTERNAL CONDUCTIVITY OF ESCHERICHIA COLI
Edwin Lorenz Carstensen · 1962
Early bacterial conductivity research established foundational science for understanding how EMF exposure affects all living cells.
Plain English Summary
This 1962 research by Edwin Carstensen examined the internal electrical conductivity properties of E. coli bacteria. The study represents early foundational work measuring how electromagnetic fields interact with living microorganisms at the cellular level. This type of biophysical research laid groundwork for understanding how EMF exposure affects biological systems.
Why This Matters
This early biophysical research represents a crucial piece of the EMF health puzzle that often gets overlooked. Carstensen's work on bacterial conductivity helped establish the scientific foundation for understanding how electromagnetic fields interact with living cells at the most basic level. The reality is that bacteria like E. coli share fundamental cellular mechanisms with human cells, including how they respond to electrical fields. When you consider that your body contains trillions of bacteria that help regulate everything from digestion to immune function, research showing EMF effects on bacterial conductivity becomes highly relevant to human health. This 1962 study came at a time when scientists were just beginning to understand the electrical nature of life itself, decades before cell phones and WiFi would expose us to unprecedented levels of electromagnetic radiation.
Finding
The effect of washing on internal conductivity was investigated by a single set of experiments that indicated definite loss of internal conducting material with washing, the percentage loss per wash decreasing after the third wash, and surprising behavior after seven to nine washes, indicating either a change in cell permeability or osmotic response.
In their words
“The effect of washing on internal conductivity was investigated by a single set of experiments that indicated definite loss of internal conducting material with washing, the percentage loss per wash decreasing after the third wash, and surprising behavior after seven to nine washes, indicating either a change in cell permeability or osmotic response.”
Figures from the Original Paper
Diagrams extracted from the original research document.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.
Study Details
To investigate the internal conductance of Escherichia coli B and the effect of washing on internal conductivity at high frequencies (100 and 250 megacycles).
E. coli B grown in nutrient broth were washed, cleaned, and stored at -20°C. Upon thawing, bacteria ...
Figure 1 shows internal conductance as a function of external conductivity. The dispersion indicated...
The internal conductivity of E. coli shows frequency-dependent behavior, which is presumed to be a property of the macromolecules composing the cells. Washing causes loss of internal conducting material, with the percentage loss per wash decreasing after the third wash. After seven to nine washes, the cells show surprising behavior, either becoming more permeable to salt or changing their osmotic response.
Show BibTeX
@article{internal_conductivity_of_escherichia_coli_g5651,
author = {Edwin Lorenz Carstensen},
title = {INTERNAL CONDUCTIVITY OF ESCHERICHIA COLI},
year = {1962},
}