Transmembrane voltage induced on altered erythrocyte shapes exposed to RF fields
Munoz S, Sebastian JL, Sancho M, Miranda JM · 2004
View Original AbstractNormal red blood cells show higher electrical vulnerability to cell phone radiation than abnormal cells, revealing shape-dependent RF bioeffects.
Plain English Summary
Spanish researchers used computer modeling to study how 1800 MHz cell phone radiation affects the electrical voltage across the membranes of red blood cells with different shapes. They found that normal-shaped red blood cells experienced higher induced voltage compared to abnormally shaped cells (like those seen in certain blood disorders). The study suggests that cell shape plays a crucial role in how much electromagnetic energy cells absorb.
Why This Matters
This research provides important insights into how radiofrequency radiation interacts with our blood cells at the cellular level. The 1800 MHz frequency studied is identical to what many GSM cell phones use, making these findings directly relevant to everyday wireless exposure. What makes this study particularly significant is its demonstration that cellular geometry matters - normal red blood cells appear more susceptible to RF-induced electrical effects than abnormal ones. This challenges the industry assumption that all biological effects can be predicted by simple heating models. The science demonstrates that RF radiation can induce measurable electrical changes in blood cells at frequencies we encounter daily, adding to the growing body of evidence that non-thermal bioeffects occur at cellular levels well below current safety standards.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study. The study examined exposure from: 1800 MHz
Study Details
In this article, the transmembrane voltage induced on erythrocyte, codocyte, ovalocyte and spherocyte cell models exposed to a linearly polarised electromagnetic plane wave of frequency 1800 MHz is calculated.
For this purpose, a finite element (FE) numerical technique with adaptive meshing is used.
The results show that the value of the induced voltage on the original erythrocyte shape is higher t...
Show BibTeX
@article{s_2004_transmembrane_voltage_induced_on_2451,
author = {Munoz S and Sebastian JL and Sancho M and Miranda JM},
title = {Transmembrane voltage induced on altered erythrocyte shapes exposed to RF fields},
year = {2004},
doi = {10.1002/bem.20065},
url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/bem.20065},
}