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Escherichia coli Growth Changes by the Mediated Effects After Low-Intensity Electromagnetic Irradiation of Extremely High Frequencies

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Abstract

Water is the major constituent of environmental medium and biological systems. The effects occurring in water as a result of low-intensity electromagnetic irradiation (EMI) in extremely high frequencies are supposed to be the primary mechanism to create conditions for biological responses. The EMI effects on Escherichia coli, after irradiation of their suspension, are most probably water-mediated. Indirect effects of EMI at 51.8, 53, 70.6, and 73 GHz frequencies on bacteria, through water, assay buffer (Tris–phosphate buffer with inorganic salts at low or moderate concentrations), or peptone growth medium were studied. The mediated effects of 70.6 and 73 GHz irradiated water, assay buffer, and growth medium on E. coli growth characteristics were insignificant. But the results were different for 51.8 and 53 GHz. EMI mediated effects on bacterial growth were clearly demonstrated. The effects were more strongly expressed with 53 GHz. Moreover, it was shown that 70.6 and 73 GHz similarly suppressed the cell growth after direct irradiation of E. coli in water or on solid medium. Interestingly, for 51.8 and 53 GHz the bacterial growth decreases after suspension irradiation was less, compared to the direct irradiation of bacteria on solid medium. Especially, it was also more expressed in case of 53 GHz. Also with electron microscopy, EMI-induced bacterial cell sizes and structure different changes were detected. In addition, the distinguished changes in surface tension, oxidation–reduction potential and pH of water, assay buffer, growth medium, and bacterial suspension were determined. They depended on EMI frequency used. The differences could be associated with the partial absorbance of EMI energy by the surrounding medium, which depends on a specific frequency. The results are crucial to understand biophysical mechanisms of EMI effects on bacteria.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Dr. V. Ohanyan for help with improving English language. This study was done within the framework supported by Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Armenia (Basic support).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biophysics of Biology Faculty, Yerevan State University, 0025, Yerevan, Armenia

    Heghine Torgomyan & Armen Trchounian

  2. Institute of Molecular Biology of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia, 0014, Yerevan, Armenia

    Karlen Hovnanyan

  3. Department of Microbiology and Microbes and Plants Biotechnology of Biology Faculty, Yerevan State University, 1 Manoukyan Str., 0025, Yerevan, Armenia

    Armen Trchounian

Authors
  1. Heghine Torgomyan
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  2. Karlen Hovnanyan
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  3. Armen Trchounian
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Correspondence to Armen Trchounian.

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Torgomyan, H., Hovnanyan, K. & Trchounian, A. Escherichia coli Growth Changes by the Mediated Effects After Low-Intensity Electromagnetic Irradiation of Extremely High Frequencies. Cell Biochem Biophys 65, 445–454 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12013-012-9448-9

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