Bactericidal Effects of Low-Intensity Extremely High Frequency Electromagnetic field: an Overview with Phenomenon, Mechanisms, Targets and Consequences
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See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/225271739 Bactericidal effects of low-intensity extremely high frequency electromagnetic field: An overview with phenomenon, mechanisms, targets and consequences Article in Critical Reviews in Microbiology · January 2013 DOI: 10.3109/1040841X.2012.691461 · Source: PubMed CITATIONS READS 35 558 2 authors: Heghine Torgomyan Armen Trchounian Yerevan State University Yerevan State University 38 PUBLICATIONS 212 CITATIONS 595 PUBLICATIONS 3,748 CITATIONS SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects: From organic wastes to biohydrogen: Wastes pretreatment and regulation of processes for increased H2 production by microbes View project Basic and applied research in microbiology, bioenergetics and biotechnology View project All content following this page was uploaded by Armen Trchounian on 27 March 2020. The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file. Bactericidal effects of low-intensity extremely high frequency EMF Critical Reviews in Microbiology, 2013; 39(1): 102–111 © 2013 Informa Healthcare USA, Inc. H. Torgomyan and A. Trchounian ISSN 1040-841X print/ISSN 1549-7828 online DOI: 10.3109/1040841X.2012.691461 Critical Reviews in Microbiology 2013 REVIEW ARTICLE 39 1 Bactericidal effects of low-intensity extremely high 102 frequency electromagnetic field: an overview with phenomenon, mechanisms, targets and consequences 111 15March2012 Heghine Torgomyan1 and Armen Trchounian2 18April2012 1Yerevan State University, Biophysics, Yerevan, Armenia and 2Yerevan State University, Microbiology and Biotechnology, Yerevan, Armenia 03May2012 Abstract 1040-841X Low-intensity electromagnetic field (EMF) of extremely high frequencies is a widespread environmental factor. This field is used in telecommunication systems, therapeutic practices and food protection. Particularly, in medicine 1549-7828 and food industries EMF is used for its bactericidal effects. The significant targets of cellular mechanisms for EMF effects at resonant frequencies in bacteria could be water (H2O), cell membrane and genome. The changes in H2O cluster structure and properties might be leading to increase of chemical activity or hydration of proteins and other © 2013 Informa Healthcare USA, Inc. cellular structures. These effects are likely to be specific and long-term. Moreover, cell membrane with its surface characteristics, substance transport and energy-conversing processes is also altered. Then, the genome is affected 10.3109/1040841X.2012.691461 because the conformational changes in DNA and the transition of bacterial pro-phages from lysogenic to lytic state have been detected. The consequences for EMF interaction with bacteria are the changes in their sensitivity to different chemicals, including antibiotics. These effects are important to understand distinguishing role of bacteria in environment, leading to changed metabolic pathways in bacteria and their antibiotic resistance. This EMF may also affect the cell-to-cell interactions in bacterial populations, since bacteria might interact with each other through EMF For personal use only. of sub-extremely high frequency range. Keywords: Bactericidal effects, non-thermal processes by extremely high frequency electromagnetic field, microbial physiology and ecology, cell membrane, antibiotics Extremely high frequency electromagnetic field in the environment EMF discernment by different organisms (Hyland, 2008). Furthermore, it has been established that small and very Electromagnetic field (EMF) of extremely high small doses of EMF (the power flux density is of 5 µW/ frequencies (of 30–300 GHz) or millimeter waves (the cm2) are affecting living cells and organisms, including wave length of 0.1–10 mm) are relatively novel and bacteria. Regarding to this property, EMF is valuable for widespread environmental factor. The dramatic changes using in therapeutic practices, in soil and agricultural in environment are significant for the variety of reasons. wastewater disinfection, and in food (fresh products, EMF of low-energetic and non-thermal intensity is used rice, raw meat and juices) protection technologies Critical Reviews in Microbiology Downloaded from informahealthcare.com by IBI Circulation - Ashley Publications Ltd on 01/10/13 in satellite communication, radiometry, radar and/or (Rojavin and Ziskin, 1998; Banik et al., 2000; Betskii et al., remote sensing technologies. But the question exists: 2000; Usichenko et al., 2006; Geveke et al., 2007; Shamis whether such frequencies are potentially hazardeus for et al., 2008; Ukuku et al., 2008; Geveke et al., 2009; Zand living organisms (Pakhomov and Murphy, 2000; Silva, et al., 2010). The EMF use in food industry gives a benefit 2001; Belyaev, 2005). It was revealed that these devices to inactivate pathogenic microorganisms at moderately produce EMF of much higher degree of coherence than low temperatures to maintain the food nutritional do the sources of natural origin. This feature facilitates attributes and its safety after packaging. Address for Correspondence: Armen Trchounian PhD., DSc., Yerevan State University, Microbiology and Biotechnology, 1 A. Manoukian Street, Yerevan, 0025 Armenia. E-mail: [email protected] (Received 15 March 2012; revised 18 April 2012; accepted 03 May 2012) 102 Bactericidal effects of low-intensity extremely high frequency EMF 103 Moreover, the recent finding is in that bacteria and minutes following EMF; the optimal exposure time is 1 h. the other cells might interact with each other through In contrast, the other EMF frequencies such as of 41–43 ultrasonic irradiation by remising secondary photons GHz, 61 GHz and 99 GHz (Bulgakova et al., 1996; Cohen of sub-extremely high frequency range (Nikolaev, 2000; et al., 2010) have no sufficient effects on E. coli. On the Trushin, 2003; Belyaev, 2005; Reguera, 2011). This is other hand, EMF effect can be intensified with longer interesting because of bacteria, in this case, can be easily exposure period. As it was shown for 99 GHz, EMF effect affected by external extremely high frequency EMF. So, accumulated in cell and revealed at higher exposure the external EMF of extremely high frequency can imitate times (Cohen et al., 2010). cellular control signals and induce the cells to vibrate at specific frequencies. This can alter membrane processes The EMF bactericidal effects and change the metabolic state of bacteria, especially their reaction to other factors (chemicals, antibiotics) Different research groups during long-term study have (Bulgakova et al., 1996; Caubet et al., 2004; Tadevosyan prescribed that EMF causes different effects, including et al., 2008; Torgomyan et al., 2011b; Torgomyan and bactericidal ones. These are depending on EMF wave- Trchounian, 2012). length or frequency, intensity, coherence, exposure Based on all statements mentioned above about duration, post-exposure time, mediated and repeated extremely high frequencies EMF and its bacterial effects irradiation (Belyaev et al., 1992, 1993, 1996; Bulgakova further clarifications are necessary in order to under- et al., 1996; Scheglov et al., 2002; Alipov et al., 2003; stand the mechanisms of affection to propose further Isakhanyan and Trchounian, 2005; Tadevosyan et applications and directions of development. al., 2006, 2007, 2008; Torgomyan et al., 2011a, 2012). Additionally, bacterial growth phase, anaerobic or Extremely high frequency EMF aerobic conditions, composition of growth media, cell characteristics and studied bacteria density, cell-to-cell interaction, genetic features, pecu- liarities of metabolism and membrane properties in bac- Two types of low-intensity (the power flux density of terial species or strains and others should be mentioned 0.06 mW/cm2) EMF of extremely high frequencies have (Torgomyan and Trchounian, 2012). been used in the study: “noise” EMF (of broadband There were presented the data of EMF bacterial effects frequencies and randomly changing phases) usually for different environmental conditions – (i) bacteria in of 45–53 GHz (Trchounian et al., 2001; Isakhanyan water suspension, (ii) bacteria on a surface (agar) and and Trchounian, 2005), and coherent EMF (in time) of (iii) bacteria in the form of a biofilm. This is important 42, 54, 66 and 78 GHz (Bulgakova et al., 1996), 51.8, 53 when studying the propagation of this EMF in various (Tadevosyan et al., 2006, 2007, 2008; Tadevosyan and media, because such results can have different applica- For personal use only. Trchounian, 2009), 70.6 and 73 GHz (Torgomyan et al., tions for the future. 2011a; Torgomyan and Trchounian, 2011, 2012) frequen- Water is the major constituent of medium and of bio- cies, using the respective generators (Russian made logical systems as well. The low intensity extremely high or others). Moreover, low-intensity EMF of extremely frequencies EMF effects on 2H O molecules may be the high frequencies has been applied to different bacte- first mechanism in creation of conditions for biological ria such as Escherichia coli (Trchounian et al., 2001; response. That is why in this revew the main attention Isakhanyan and Trchounian, 2005; Tadevosyan et al., was given to the EMF effects on bacterial suspension. 2006, 2007, 2008; Tadevosyan and Trchounian, 2009; Different depressive effects on the growth and viability Torgomyan et al., 2011a,b; Torgomyan and Trchounian, of E. coli after bacterial susupension exposure to EMF of 2011, 2012), Enterococcus