Total Colony Counts of Some Microorganisms in Soil Samples Exposed to Electromagnetic Radiations from Mobile Phones.

ABSTRACT

Effect of electromagnetic radiations (EMR) from mobile phones on some soil bacterial (Bacillus, Micrococcus, Staphylococcus, Corynebacterium and Enterococcus) and fungi (Saccharomyces, Penicillium and Geotrichum) strains were studied. At the study periods of 0, 30, 60, and 90 days, the total colony counts (CFU/g) and viability ratios of Bacteria and fungi strains were determined on both the EMR unexposed and exposed soil samples. At the exposure periods of 30, 60, and 90 days, the mean total colony counts of all the organisms in the EMR exposed samples were statistically (p<0.05) lower than those of the EMR unexposed samples. The percentage changes in total colony counts of the EMR unexposed and exposed soil samples between 0 to 90 days for Bacillus, Micrococcus, Staphylococcus, Corynebacterium, Enterococcus, Saccharomyces, Penicillium and Geotrichum were 2.54% and -70.51%, 33.18% and -75.80%, 11.79% and -63.93%, 20.12% and -91.96%, 30.00% and -98.94%, 62.36% and -61.06%, 42.40% and -100%, and 50.46% and -78.48% respectively. These show that Staphylococcus and Saccharomyces strains being the most resistant, while Enterococcus and Penicillium were the most susceptible strains. The results generally indicate that EMR has negative impacts on both Bacteria and fungi total colony counts.