Preliminary evaluation of nanoscale biogenic magnetite-based ferromagnetic transduction mechanisms for mobile phone bioeffects

Ferromagnetic transduction models have been proposed as a potential mechanism for mobile phone bioeffects. These models are based on the coupling of RF and pulsed electromagnetic emissions to biogenic magnetite (Fe/sub 3/O/sub 4/) present in the human brain via either ferromagnetic resonance or mechanical activation of cellular ion channels. We have tested these models experimentally for the first time using a bacterial analogue (Magnetospirillum magnetotacticum) which produces intracellular biogenic magnetite similar to that present in the human brain. Experimental evaluation revealed that exposure to mobile phone emissions resulted in a consistent and significantly higher proportion of cell death in exposed cultures versus sham exposure (p=0.037). Though there appears to be a repeatable trend toward higher cell mortality in magnetite-producing bacteria exposed to mobile phone emissions, it is not yet clear that this would extrapolate to a deleterious health effect in humans.