Diatom motility: the search for independent replication of biological effects of extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields.

Purpose: To investigate the hypothesis that exposure to a certain combination of static and time-varying electromagnetic fields (EMF) results in an increase in motility of the marine diatom Amphora coffeaeformis.

Materials And Methods: Diatom motility on agar was positively correlated with calcium ion (Ca2+) concentration. In previous experiments extremely low frequency EMF (16 Hz) had the greatest effect on diatoms at suboptimal for movement Ca2+ concentrations. To ensure that the required suboptimal Ca2+ concentration and resultant cell motility were found, a number of low concentrations of Ca2+ were experimentally tested. The EMF exposure conditions were those at the calculated calcium resonances (B(V)=0 microT; B(H)=20.9 microT; B(AC)=41.8 microT peak-peak 16 Hz) previously found to cause enhanced motility. Diatom movement on agar plates under EMF and control exposures was recorded.

Results: There was no significant difference in cell motility between control and EMF-exposed diatoms at each Ca2+ concentration tested.

Conclusions: The study indicates that low-frequency EMF set at resonance conditions did not cause an increase in motility of the diatoms.