February 201626 THE ANTISEPTIC

Introduction:

Over the years, there is an enormous escalation in wireless equipments including mobile phones making our lives easy.Cell phone technology has grown exponentially in the last decade. Currently there are 50 crore cell phone users worldwide. Along with the large and still growing number of cell phone users, the amount of time people spend on

Effect of Cell Phone Radiations on Morphological and Biochemical Parameters of Moth Bean (Vigna Aconitifolia) and Wheat (Triticum Aestivum)-GSM Vs CDMAANIKHA BELLAD, CHANDRASHEKAR V. KUBIHAL

Dr. Anikha Bellad, Post graduate, Dr. Chandrashekar V. Kubihal,Associate Professor,Department of Biochemistry,Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences, Hubli.

Specially Contributed to "The Antiseptic" Vol. 113 No. 2 & P : 26 - 29

Introduction:

Over the years, there is an enormous escalation in wireless equipments including mobile phones making our lives easy. Cell phone technology has grown exponentially in the last decade. Currently there are more than 50 crore cell phone users worldwide. We are constantly immersed in the sea of Electromagnetic radiations (EMR) which can affect our life markedly; alongside there are various reports of possible adverse effects on living things. Cell phones have SAR (Specific Absorption Rating) with safety limit of 3-4W/kg that means a person should not use cell phones for more than 18-24min/day. This information is not known to many, people use cell phones injudiciously. It has increased the risk of tissue level damage for all living organisms including

plant and animal kingdom. This can be tested on germination of seeds like moth bean and wheat as Cell phone EMR found to inhibit their root growth by inducing ROS generated oxidative stress.Aims/Objectives:-This study is an attempt to observe biochemical and morphological changes induced by cell phone EMR coming from GSM and CDMA on moth bean and wheat seedling.Materials and Methods:

Study groups of Vigna aconitifolia and Triticum aestivum divided into group A and group B. Group A treated with GSM (900 MHz band) and Group B treated with CDMA cell phones for 3days and a control group under similar conditions except that not receiving treatment. Oxidative stress marker, melondialdehyde (MDA) levels

were estimated by Nasdiger et al method. Anti-oxidant vitamin C by DNPH method and anti-oxidant enzyme catalase activity were estimated by colorimetric method. Morphologic parameters like germination percentage, length, fresh weight and relative water content (RWC) were also noted.

Results and conclusions:

Our results showed that there was highly significant reduction in growth, fresh weight and RWC. MDA content and catalase activity were increased and Vit.C levels were reduced in the stressed seedlings (GSM>CDMA) compared to unstressed seedlings. We concluded that the radiations emitted by mobile phones can induce oxidative stress which may have many harmful effects on health.

their phones has also risen sharply in recent decades. Cell phones give off a form of energy known as radiofrequency waves, a type of electro magnetic radiation (EMR). We are constantly immersed in the sea of EMR which can affect our lives markedly. It has increased the risk of tissue level damage in all living organisms including plant and animal kingdom.1 In May 2011, International agency of Research on cancer, a branch of WHO – declared cell phone radiations- “as a possible carcinogen”. While purchasing a mobile phone – a person cares about the company he prefers (Reliance, Vodafone), the

type of phone (iPhone, Samsung, etc) and the cost and the type of bill payment (prepaid or postpaid), but doesn’t care much about the channel or frequency he uses. We have 2 systems available – Global System for Mobile (GSM) and Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA). GSM phones emit continuous pulsed waves in contrast to CDMA phones. Hence they emit radiations 28 times more on average than CDMA phones. They are more biologically active than CDMA. “Pulsed radiation is much more harmful.” When GSM phone transmits, it immediately goes to peak power and then the

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power control circuitry ratches down the power to an acceptable level, radiation spikes at the beginning of GSM phone calls. CDMA network shares the same frequency among many different phone calls, so all phones transmit at the lowest possible power level to maintain the fidelity of the call. But, this is not apparent when you look at a phone’s specs because phone companies are required to list only the “SAR” (Specific Absorption Rating)- the measure of the rate at which energy from a RF is absorbed by the body. In U.S, SAR limit for cell phones is 1.6W/Kg which means actually for 6min/day usage. It has a safety margin till 3-4W/kg, so a person should not use cell phone for more than 18-24 min/day.2 This information is not commonly known to people in India.Aims/Objectives of the study:

Our study was an attempt to observe the morphological and biochemical changes induced by cell phone EMR coming from GSM and CDMA on moth bean and wheat seedlings.Materials and Methods:

Seeds were imbibed in distilled water for 8hrs, then placed in air tight plastic boxes, lined with filter paper moistened with distilled water. A commercially available GSM900 mobile phone and CDMA phone were used for the exposure of EMR for the current study. Cell phones were placed in a box with 50 seeds around it. Control groups were the seeds of Vigna aconitifolia and Triticum aestivum kept in the same sized box under similar conditions as study group except for not receiving the treatment.

During exposure, cell phones were kept fully charged in a vibrating mode and at a particular interval, call was given to both the groups simultaneously. All the boxes were kept at room

Vigna aconitifolia seeds

Triticum aestivum seeds temperature for 72hrs., away from the instruments and machines in order to avoid any kind of unwanted EMR. Seedlings were then harvested for morphological and biochemical analysis.Morphological Analysis:

After 72h, germination %, seedling length and fresh weight were recorded. Seedlings of equal fresh weight were allowed to dry at 70deg.C for 24hrs to record the dry weight. Relative water content was calculated by the formula,

R.W.C = fresh weight – dry weight / fresh weight 100Biochemical analysis:

Approx. 0.2g of seeds were homogenized by addition of 5% TCA.

In cold mortar and pestle↓

Homogenate was centrifuged at 12,000rpm 15min.

↓Supernatant was saved for the

estimation of biochemical analytes (MDA levels, Vit.C levels and catalase activity)3

Estimation of lipid peroxidation:

Lipid peroxidation was estimated by measuring the amount of malondialdehyde content in the homogenate by thiobarbituric acid method.Estimation of anti-oxidant level :

Vit. C content was estimated in the homogenate by Di-nitro phenyl Hydrazine (DNPH) method.Estimation of catalase (CAT) activity:

CAT activity was assayed colorimetrically using dichromate- acetic acid reagent.Statistical analysis:

Analysis of variance for morphological and biochemical parameters were performed by SPSS version 19.

February 201628 THE ANTISEPTIC

TREATED

CONTROL

Results:

Mean values of various morphological and Biochemical parameters of V.aconitifolia :

Characters Control seedlings Treated seedlings GSM CDMAGermination (%) 100 75 86Seedling length (mm) 32 15.6 17.8Fresh weight (gm) 0.28 0.28 0.26Dry weight (gm) 0.042 0.026 0.034RWC (%) 94.61 86.34 88.27MDA (nmoles/100ml) 320.5 480.75 416.65Vit. C (mg/dl) 1.04 0.95 1.08Catalase (CAT) 0.028 0.124 0.109

Results:

Mean values of various morphological and Biochemical parameters of T. aestivum

Character Control seedlings Treated seedlings GSM CDMAGermination (%) 60 54 56Seedling length (mm) 15.6 10.8 12.4Fresh weight (gm) 0.29 0.24 0.27Dry weight (gm) 0.086 0.080 0.083RWC (%) 72.42 62.41 68.44MDA (nmoles/100ml) 352.55 448.7 512.8Vit. C (mg/dl) 0.62 0.57 0.59Catalase (CAT) 0.033 0.086 0.093

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Discussion :

Current results are in agreement with the findings of Sharma, et al. (2009, 2010) who reported that the mobile phone radiations significantly reduced the seedling length and dry weight of V.radiata after exposure for 0.5, 1, 2 and 4hrs.4 Similarly these findings are in agreement with Singh and Parakh (2011) who reported that, cell phone EMR inhibits Brassica root growth by inducing ROS-generated oxidative stress5. Experiments conducted by many researchers, reported that reduction in growth by mobile phone or simulated mobile phone radiation can cause cell damage and ROS formation which are the primary causes of DNA breaks and cell death (Oktem et al., 2005; Oral et al., 2006; Sokolovic et al., 2008) 6,7,8 We observed increase in MDA content in our study, these findings are in agreement with Ozguner et al. (2005) who stated that EMR of cellular mobiles may affect biological systems including humans by increasing free radicals, which appears mainly to enhance lipid peroxidation and changing the anti-oxidant defense systems of human tissue.

Radiation risk differs between GSM and CDMA cellular technology (2011) says UC

Berkley’s Joel Moskowitz, director of Family and Community Health9. Another study conducted in Dec. 2013 by Michael Ravensthorpe showed that plants won’t grow near Wi-Fi routers10. The study conducted by University of Science and

Technology, Haryana (April 2011) showed that mobile phone serving GSM has larger effect on Brain activity compared to mobile phone serving CDMA11.Conclusion:

From the current results, we concluded that cell phones can negatively affect the germination, R.W.C, fresh and dry weight of two entirely different plant genotypes. This reduction is associated with increased membrane damage and anti-oxidant enzyme activity. More effect was seen from GSM phone radiations compared to CDMA phone radiations.REFERENCES:

• Uju Isidore U, Okwu P.I and Ifeagwu N: Proceedings of first international technology, Education and Environment Conference, African society for scientific research (ASSR)

• Live strong.com: Health effects of GSM Vs CDMA

• Mobin Afzal and Simeen Mansoor, Department of genetics. Effect of mobile phone radiations on mung bean and wheat seedlings, 2012. Asian journal of Agricultural sciences 4(2): 149-152.

• Sharma V.P., H.P. Singh, R.K. Koli and D.R. Batish, 2009. Mobile phone radiations inhibit Vigna radiata root growth by inducing oxidative stress. Sci. Total Envirn., 21: 5543-5547

• Singh, H.P. and S.V. Parakh, 2011. Electromagnetic radiations from cell phone inhibit plant root growth through induction of oxidative damage chemicals and environmental. Health Issues, 22 (1): 249

• Oktem. F., F. Ozguner, H. Mollaoglu, A. Koyu and E. Uz, 2005. Oxidative damage in the kidney induced by 900MHz- emitted mobile phone: protection by Melatonin. Arch. Res., 4:350-535.

• Oral, B., G. Mehmet, O. Fehmi, K. Nermin, M. Tamer, C. Selcuk and C. Gokhan, 2006. Endometrial apoptosis induced by a 900-MHz mobile phone: Preventive effects of vitamins E and C. Adv. Ther. L., 6: 957-973.

• Sokolovic, D, B. Djindjic, J. Nikolic, G. Bjclakovic, D. Pavlovic, G. Kocic, D. Kristic, T. Cvetkovic and V. Pavlovic, 2008. Melatonin reduces oxidative stress induced by chronic exposure of microwave radiation from mobile phones in rat brain. J. Radiat. Res. Tokyo, 49 (6): 579-586.

• Electromagnetic health.org – Radiation risks to humans differs between GSM and CDMA cell phone technology.

• Micheal Ravensthorpe. Plants won’t grow near wifi routers. Natural Health news and scientific discoveries. Dec. 13, 2013

• Aruna Tyagi, Manoj Duhan, and Dinesh Bhatiya. Effect of mobile phone radiation on brain activity – GSM Vs CDMA. IJSTM, vol. 2, issue 2, April 2011.

Acute Otitis Media (AOM) is the most common infectious disease that predominantly affects infants and preschoolers. It has been estimated that about 75% of children have at least one episode of AOM by one year of age. Children are more vulnerable to AOM as their Eustachian tube is structurally and functionally immature at this age which facilitates easy access of bacterial pathogens children with AOM also present with sudden ear ache, fever followed by irritability, trouble in sleeping and inconsolable crying that engenders considerable parental concern. It is also the most common reason for hospital visits and antibiotic prescribing among children.

Amoxicillin-clavulanate has proven benefits over the other used antibiotic preparation in treating pediatric AOM.

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