[Effect of an aqueous salt solution exposed to weak magnetic fields on the sensitivity of bacterial plasma membrane to reactive oxygen species].

It was shown by electroorientation spectroscopy that hydroxyl radicals OH* generated in a Cu(2+)-ascorbate system disturb the barrier properties of the plasma membrane in Escherichia coli K12 cells. It was also found that in water containing small additions of H+, Na+, and Cl-, preliminarily exposed to weak combined permanent (42 microT) and polyfrequency alternating (amplitude 0.06 microT and frequencies 1, 3.7, and 32.2 Hz) magnetic fields, the sensitivity of the plasma membrane to the radical attack considerably decreased, whereas dimethylsulfoxide did not protect active oxygen species in this system. It was assumed that treating the aqueous solution with magnetic fields affects the oxidation of ascorbate. Spectrophotometric measurements did reveal a decrease in the rate of oxidation of ascorbate by Cu2+ ions in a solution preliminarily treated with magnetic fields.