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 (Fe3O4) 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.