Premium
Low frequency electromagnetic fields and the Belousov–Zhabotinsky reaction
Author(s) -
Sontag W.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
bioelectromagnetics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.435
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1521-186X
pISSN - 0197-8462
DOI - 10.1002/bem.20213
Subject(s) - bioelectromagnetics , belousov–zhabotinsky reaction , oscillation (cell signaling) , magnetic field , nuclear magnetic resonance , chemical reaction , excitation , chemistry , electromagnetic field , field (mathematics) , briggs–rauscher reaction , self oscillation , analytical chemistry (journal) , atomic physics , physics , chromatography , mathematics , biochemistry , quantum mechanics , pure mathematics , catalysis
Low frequency magnetic fields can influence biochemical reactions and consequently physiological rhythms and oscillations. To test this for a model reaction we used the chemical Belousov–Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction, which is one of the simplest chemical oscillators. The oscillation frequency of the reaction was tracked optically by the absorption of blue light. Field treatment was carried out at room temperature in the middle of two Helmholtz coils. After starting the reaction, for 5 min the oscillations were monitored as control measurement, then during the next 10 min monitoring was with a magnetic field switched on, followed by a period of 5 min with the field switched off. A variety of exposure conditions have been tested: the frequency was varied between 5 and 1000 Hz, the field strength was varied up to 2.7 mT, different pulse shapes were used, the influence of the exposure temperature was tested, and the influence of the optimum exposure conditions (static magnetic field and the frequency of the dynamic field) as predicted by the ion parametric resonance (IPR) model has been measured. In conclusion, in no case any statistical significant influence of the magnetic treatment on the oscillation frequency of the BZ reaction could be detected ( P > .05, t ‐test). Bioelectromagnetics 27:314–319, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.