• experimental
  
• epidemiological
  

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Medical/biological Study (experimental study)

Mobile phone radiation inhibits Vigna radiata (mung bean) root growth by inducing oxidative stress. med./biol.

PubMed Entry

Journal web site

Aim of study (according to author)
To study whether electromagnetic fields from cell phones inhibit growth of mung bean (Vigna radiata) through induction of stress responses.
Background/further details:
50 seeds were exposed and 50 seeds were sham-exposed. After exposure, seeds were allowed to germinate in Petri dishes for 48 h.

Endpoint

• effects on plants: root growth and oxidative stress

Exposure
General category: mobile phone, digital mobile phone, GSM

Field characteristics	Parameters
900 MHz pulsed (PW) exposure duration: continuous for 0.5 h, 1 h, 2 hr, 4 hr	power flux density: 8.55 µW/cm² average over time electric field strength: 5.7 V/m

Exposed system:
plant (species/strain): mung bean

Methods
Endpoint/Measurement parameters/Methodology

• molecular biosynthesis: oxidative stress, formation of reactive oxygen species (content of malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide; absorption measurement), root oxidizability (amount of red triphenyl formazan, absorption measurement), enzyme activities of antioxidant enzymes in roots (superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, guaiacol peroxidase, catalase and glutathione reductase; absorption measurement); root membrane integrity (ion leakage, electrical conducitivity)
• others: effects on plants: root and plumule growth (lengths), germination and oxidative stress (see "molecular biosynthesis")

Main outcome of study (according to author)
The data showed that cell phone electromagnetic field exposure significantly inhibited the germination (at ≥2 h), and radicle and plumule growths (≥1 h) in mung bean in a time-dependent manner. Furthermore, exposure enhanced malondialdehyde content (indicating lipid peroxidation), and increased hydrogen peroxide cumulation and root oxidizability in mung bean roots (inducing oxidative stress and cellular damage). Under exposure, there was also a significant upregulation in the enzyme activities of scavenging enzymes in the roots.
The authors conclude that cell phone electromagnetic field exposure inhibit root growth of mung bean by inducing reactive oxygen species-generated oxidative stress despite increased enzyme activities of antioxidant enzymes.

(Study character: medical/biological study, experimental study, full/main study)

Study funded by

• not stated

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