Medical/biological study (experimental study)

Effects of ELF Magnetic Field in Combination with Iron(III) Chloride (FeCl3) on Cellular Growth and Surface Morphology of Escherichia coli (E. coli) med./bio.

By: Esmekaya MA, Acar SI, Kiran F, Canseven AG, Osmanagaoglu O, Seyhan N

Published in: Appl Biochem Biotechnol 2013; 169 (8): 2341-2349

Aim of study (acc. to author)

To examine the effects of 50 Hz magnetic fields alone or in combination with FeCl₃ on the cell viability and morphology of Escherichia coli.

Background/further details

Escherichia coli cells were grown in culture medium without or with different concentrations of iron(III) chloride (0.2, 2 and 20 g/l FeCl₃) while being exposed or sham exposed.

Endpoint

cell viability/cell division/proliferation: cell viability
morphol./histopathol. changes: morphology of Escherichia coli

Exposure

Exposure	Parameters
Exposure 1: 50 Hz Exposure duration: continuous for 24 hours	magnetic flux density: 2 mT (± 0.05 mT) eddy current density: 69.3 mA/m² maximum

Exposure 1

Main characteristics

Frequency	50 Hz
Type	magnetic field
Waveform	sinusoidal
Exposure duration	continuous for 24 hours

Exposure setup

Exposure source	Helmholtz coils
Chamber	30 ml plastic culture flasks containing E. coli in a fluid medium were used
Setup	coils were made up of 154 turns of copper wire with a diameter of 2.2 mm having inner and outer diameters of 40.5 and 45.5 cm, respectively; coils were placed in horizontal plane to produce vertically oriented magnetic field; distance between the coils was 21.375 cm; electrical parameters of the coils were resistance of 1.2 ohm and inductance of 19.6 mH; coils were driven with a variable transformer with a power of 2.7 kVA; system was mounted on a wooden frame; culture flasks were placed at the center of the coil-based exposure system (homogenous exposure region) in vertical position, so that the magnetic field was perpendicular to the bottom of the flasks
Sham exposure	A sham exposure was conducted.

Parameters

Measurand	Value	Type	Method	Mass	Remarks
magnetic flux density	2 mT	-	measured	-	± 0.05 mT
eddy current density	69.3 mA/m²	maximum	-	-	-

Additional parameter details

AC background magnetic field was 0.07 µT; DC geomagnetic field was 30 µT; E field was 10-11 V/m and assumed to be negligible

Measurement and calculation details

magnetic flux density measured by a Hall-Effect Gaussmeter

Exposed system:

bacterium
Escherichia coli/ATCC 25922

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

cell viability/cell division/proliferation: cell viability (colony forming unit)
morphol./histopathol. changes: morphology of bacterial cells (scanning electron microscopy)

Investigated system:

intact cell/cell culture

Time of investigation:

before exposure
during exposure
after exposure

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

No significant differences between exposed and sham exposed cells were observed regarding cell viability. Furthermore, no significant influence of FeCl₃ supplementation of the culture medium on the cell viability was found.
While the morphology of sham exposed cells appeared normal in the scanning microscopy, exposed cells showed structural damages such as various pores with different sizes on the cell membrane.
The authors conclude that 50 Hz magnetic fields do not influence the cell viability of Escherichia coli but could affect the surface morphology.

Study character:

medical/biological study
experimental study
full/main study

Study funded by

not stated/no funding

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