On the quantum nature of magnetic phenomena in biology

Abstract

On the quantum nature of magnetic phenomena in biology Binhi V, Rubin AB. On the quantum nature of magnetic phenomena in biology. Physics of biology and medicine (2023). 1:44-73. doi: 10.7256/2730-0560.2023.1.40435 Abstract The review discusses the microscopic mechanisms of the action of weak magnetic fields on organisms. Magnetobiology distinguishes between magnetoreception, i.e., the effect of a magnetic field on specialized receptors, and a nonspecific response that develops without such receptors. The nonspecific effects of weak magnetic fields are highly general and universal: they occur in all organisms. Often these effects are disguised as the result of the action of uncontrolled random factors, appear as an increased scatter of measurements, and accompanied by low reproducibility. The nature of nonspecific magnetic effects, as is shown in this review, is related to the quantum dynamics of the magnetic moments of electrons, magnetic nuclei, and, possibly, rotations of molecular groups. Among the most substantiated is the spin-chemical mechanism, first of all. Its known low sensitivity to weak magnetic fields can be increased by including spin-correlated radical pairs in the enzymes that catalyze biopolymer processes, e.g., ribosomal ones. We show that research on the effects of significantly weakened magnetic fields compared with the geomagnetic field on cellular processes has prospects for various practical applications. The mechanisms proposed to explain nonspecific effects, but turned out to be untenable, are listed. Conclusion Quantum nonspecific effects of weak MP have a general and universal character — they always occur in all organisms. These effects are invisible when small. When they are not small and could be noticeable, they, by virtue of their randomness, disguise themselves as the result of the action of uncontrolled random factors. This manifests itself in the form of non—reproducibility, - heterogeneity of the array of measurements or specifically increased random spread. Unlike magnetoreception — the action of weak MP on specialized receptors of some organisms — magnetic nonspecific effects do not receive the attention of researchers. The molecular physical mechanisms of non-specific effects remain largely unclear, although the understanding of their nature is gradually deepening. Knowledge of molecular mechanisms would significantly reduce the level of randomness of non-specific effects, i.e. increase their reproducibility, and find many useful applications for them. Among the promising ones are mechanisms based on the quantum dynamics of magnetic moments, primarily the magnetochemical mechanism, or RPM. The low sensitivity of RPM in the region of weak MP is compensated by the possible inclusion of spin-correlated radical pairs in the work of biopolymer enzymes, in particular ribosomal translation enzymes. This makes it possible to increase the magnetic sensitivity of the RPM by two or three orders of magnitude due to a statistical increase in the probability of local errors of cellular translation. Thus, the main problem of magnetobiology can be considered solved, since a consistent explanation of the biological effects of weak MP appears. The mechanisms of mixing the quantum levels of magnetic moments and the molecular gyroscope also have a certain explanatory potential in relation to the effects of MP. This paper also lists mechanisms that have been proposed at various times to explain the nonspecific biological effects of weak MP, but have proved to be untenable for one reason or another. These include induction and resonance mechanisms, as well as mechanisms based on the dynamics of magnetic nanoparticles. In general, all mechanisms that use classical, rather than quantum, physics to describe microscopic processes are untenable, for example, those that use the idea of the Lorentz force. It is shown that the study of the effect of hypoMP on cellular processes under conditions of compensation or screening of laboratory magnetic fluctuations has good prospects for a variety of practical applications. Open access paper: en.nbpublish.com

AI evidence extraction

Main findings

This review argues that nonspecific biological effects of weak magnetic fields are general/universal across organisms and are related to quantum dynamics of magnetic moments (electrons, nuclei, possibly molecular rotations). It presents the spin-chemical (radical pair) mechanism as among the most substantiated explanations, and lists several previously proposed mechanisms (e.g., induction/resonance, magnetic nanoparticles, Lorentz-force/classical mechanisms) as untenable.

Outcomes measured

• microscopic mechanisms of action of weak magnetic fields on organisms
• magnetoreception vs nonspecific biological responses
• cellular processes under weakened magnetic fields (hypoMP)
• spin-chemical (radical pair) mechanisms in enzymes/biopolymer processes (e.g., ribosomal translation)
• reproducibility/variability of observed nonspecific magnetic effects

Limitations

• Narrative review; no primary data or quantitative synthesis reported in the abstract
• Exposure parameters (field strengths, frequencies, durations) are not specified in the abstract
• Claims about universality and mechanism are presented without detailing supporting study designs or evidence grading in the abstract

Suggested hubs

• who-icnirp (0.2)
  Discusses biological effects/mechanisms of weak magnetic fields, potentially relevant to EMF health-mechanism context, but no explicit WHO/ICNIRP content in abstract.

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        "source": "weak magnetic fields (including hypo-magnetic fields relative to geomagnetic field)",
        "frequency_mhz": null,
        "sar_wkg": null,
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    },
    "population": "organisms (general; all organisms referenced)",
    "sample_size": null,
    "outcomes": [
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        "magnetoreception vs nonspecific biological responses",
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        "spin-chemical (radical pair) mechanisms in enzymes/biopolymer processes (e.g., ribosomal translation)",
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    "effect_direction": "unclear",
    "limitations": [
        "Narrative review; no primary data or quantitative synthesis reported in the abstract",
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    "keywords": [
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        "geomagnetic field",
        "magnetoreception",
        "nonspecific effects",
        "quantum dynamics",
        "spin chemistry",
        "radical pair mechanism",
        "ribosomal translation",
        "reproducibility"
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