The influence of millimeter waves on the physical

Authors: Katia Cosentino Amerigo Beneduci Alfonsina RamundoOrlando Giuseppe Chidichimo

Publish Date: 2013/02/02

Volume: 39, Issue: 3, Pages: 395-410

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Abstract

Exposure of cell membranes to an electromagnetic field EMF in the millimeter wave band 30–300 GHz can produce a variety of responses Further many of the vibrational modes in complex biomolecules fall in the 1–100 GHz range In addition to fundamental scientific interest this may have applications in the development of diagnostic and therapeutic medical applications In the present work lipid vesicles of different size were used to study the effects of exposure to radiation at 52–72 GHz with incident power densities IPD of 00035–0010 mW/cm2 on the chemicalphysical properties of cell membranes Large unilamellar vesicles LUVs were used to study the effect of the radiation on the physical stability of vesicles by dynamic light scattering An inhibition of the aging processes Ostwald ripening which usually occur in these vesicles because of their thermodynamic instability resulted Giant unilamellar vesicles GUVs were used to study the effect of the radiation on membrane water permeability under osmotic stress by phase contrast microscopy In this case a decrease in the water membrane permeability of the irradiated samples was observed We advance the hypothesis that both the above effects may be explained in terms of a change of the polarization states of water induced by the radiation which causes a partial dehydration of the membrane and consequently a greater packing density increased membrane rigidity

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