Evaluating the effects of non-thermal microwave exposures on the proliferation response of Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast

Abstract

This study evaluates the effect of non-thermal weak radiofrequency microwave (RF/MW) radiation on the proliferation response of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. S. cerevisiae strains type II (Sigma) were exposed to the microwaves at 900MHz and the selected powers of 13dBm, 3dBm and -7dBm using the Transverse Electro-Magnetic (TEM) cell. The average specific absorption rate (SAR) for a single cell was 0.12 W/kg. SAR was calculated by averaging the individual parameters of the cell components in accordance with their volume fraction in live cells. In these experiments yeast cells were continuously exposed to the MW radiation. Changes in yeast culture growth were monitored using the spectrophotometry method. Measurements of the yeast cells' growth in control (shamexposed) vs. irradiated samples were performed. Experimental data were collected and statistically analyzed. The results revealed that the rate of yeast growth was increased at the MW exposures at 900MHz and powers of 13dBm and 3dBm