TITLE:
Inspections of Mobile Phone Microwaves Effects on Proteins Secondary Structure by Means of Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy
AUTHORS:
Emanuele Calabrò, Salvatore Magazù
KEYWORDS:
Mobile Phone, Microwaves, Protein, Infrared Spectrum, Secondary Structure, Amide I
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Electromagnetic Analysis and Applications,
Vol.2 No.11,
December
1,
2010
ABSTRACT: In this study the effects of microwaves on the secondary structure of three typical proteins have been investigated. A set of samples of lysozyme, bovine serum albumin and myoglobin in D2O solutions were exposed for 8 hours to mobile phone microwaves at 900 MHz at a magnetic field intensity around 16 mA/m. The relative effects on the secondary structure of the proteins were studied by means of Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. An increase of the amide I band intensity in the secondary structure of the proteins was observed after the microwaves exposure. Furthermore, a weak shift of the amide I mode of bovine serum albumin and a heavier shift of the amide I of myoglobin occurred after the exposure. In addition, a clear increasing of the β-sheet components with respect to the α-helix content was observed in the spectra of bovine serum albumin and myoglobin after the exposure, suggesting the hypothesis of the formation of aggregates.