Biochemical and elemental composition stability of garlic (Allium sativum) under controlled 3.5 GHz radiofrequency exposure

Abstract

Abstract The rapid deployment of 5G-enabled smart farming infrastructure has increased the likelihood of continuous radiofrequency (RF) exposure of agricultural crops. However, standardized baseline data describing molecular and elemental stability of food crops under controlled 3.5 GHz RF exposure remain limited. In this study, a spectroscopy-based baseline assessment was conducted to evaluate the biochemical and elemental responses of garlic (Allium sativum) subjected to continuous-wave RF exposure at 3.5 GHz. Garlic cloves were exposed for 0 h (control), 2 h, 4 h, 6 h, and 8 h under controlled conditions within an anechoic chamber. Raman spectroscopy was employed to monitor molecular vibrational fingerprints, while X-ray fluorescence (XRF) was used to quantify major elemental constituents. Raman spectra revealed characteristic bands associated with organosulfur compounds, carbohydrates, and proteins, with no statistically significant deviations observed across exposure durations. Multivariate analysis using partial least squares demonstrated substantial overlap among all groups within the 95% Hotelling’s T 2 confidence region, indicating preservation of baseline biochemical signatures. XRF analysis showed minor downward trends in magnesium, sulphur, chlorine, and potassium concentrations with increasing exposure duration. However, these observed fluctuations were not statistically significant and fell within baseline biological variability. These findings indicate that short-term continuous exposure to 3.5 GHz RF radiation for up to 8 h does not induce measurable deviations from baseline molecular or elemental variability in garlic. The results provide a reference benchmark for future investigations examining longer-term, cumulative, or field-scale RF exposure effects on agricultural crops.