Growth Pattern of Magnetic Field-Treated Bacteria

Abstract

A study of the induced effect of different types of weak magnetic field exposure on bacterial growth is performed, comparing the relative changes after removal from the magnetic fields. This investigation is relevant to understand the effect of magnetic field exposure on human beings due to electronic devices. For this purpose, we use four species of common bacteria in reference to human health and safety including Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The choice of these four bacteria also allows us to check for effects which rely upon the Gram-staining properties or shapes of bacterial species. These species were initially exposed to static, non-homogeneous, and alternating weak magnetic fields, and then they were grown in incubators in the same environment at 37 °C simultaneously. Comparative measurements of optical density are then used to track the sustained impact on bacterial growth in the experimental samples. Bacteria were first grown in different weak magnetic fields on a plain glass surface both in liquid and solid media. Magnetic field-treated bacteria were then transferred into similar test tubes to grow in an incubator concurrently. Bacterial cultures in liquid nutrient broth on plain glass proliferated faster in most species. Different magnetic fields affect the growth pattern of bacteria differently, depending on the bacterial strain. The weak magnetic field seems to decelerate the growth rate, even after the magnetic field is removed. With application of this study, we can potentially investigate the effect of weak field exposures on Eukaryotic cells and gene dynamics.