Intermittent extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields cause DNA damage in a dose-dependent way

Abstract

The induced DNA damage is not based on thermal effects and arouses concern about environmental threshold limit values for ELF exposure.

The effects of extremely low frequency magnetic fields on mutation induction in mice

“…Furthermore, by using the optimal intermittent exposure conditions and varying the magnetic flux density between 0.02-2 mT, significant increases were observed in both the alkaline and neutral comet assay at flux densities as low as 70 µT (Ivancsits et al, 2002). Ensuing studies using identical exposure conditions (50 Hz sinusoidal, 1 mT, intermittent 5 min on/10 min off) for a period of 1 to 24 hours also reported an increase in alkaline and neutral comet tail factors in a time-dependent manner, with the largest being at 15 hours (Ivancsits et al, 2003b). The assay levels declined thereafter, without returning to basal levels.…”

“…Moreover, increasing the magnetic flux density between 0.02-1 mT (15 hours, intermittent 5 min on/10 min off) resulted in a significant increase in DNA SSBs and DSBs at 35 µT (Ivancsits et al, 2003b). Finally following this series of experiments the authors were able to define the optimum conditions at which the maximum effect on SSB-and DSB was evoked: 100 µT, intermittent (5 min on/10 min off), for 15 hours with human fibroblast cells from donors over 40 years of age, produced a ~2-fold increase in DSB and a 4-fold increase in DSB plus SSB (Ivancsits et al, 2003a(Ivancsits et al, , 2003b.…”

“…A series of studies from several laboratories ultimately led to a plethora of publications analysing the genotoxic effects of ELF-MF exposure (Ivancsits et al, 2002, 2003b, Winker et al, 2005. The initial study was established to analyse the effects of continuous exposure to a 50 Hz sinusoidally magnetic field of 1 mT for 24 hours on cultured human diploid fibroblasts (Ivancsits et al, 2002).…”

Extremely low frequency magnetic fields induce oxidative stress in rat brain

“…It is well known that neurodegenerative diseases are accompanied with oxidative stress which is modulated through EMF effects, as both pro-oxidant and neuroprotective driving force (Consales et al 2012;Tasset et al 2012). Following mechanisms were suggested: (i) EMFs can affect chemical bonds between adjacent atoms with alteration of energy levels and spin orientation of electrons which ultimately promote the generation of free oxygen radicals as O 2 − and OH − that eventually leads to damage of cellular membranes through lipid peroxidation, and (ii) imbalance of thiol status and DNA damage in addition to alterations in DNA-protein as well as DNA-DNA crosslinks (Ivancsits et al 2003;Lai and Singh 2004;Yokus et al 2005). These alterations may depend on energy absorption by the organ and its susceptibility to oxidative damage.…”

“…Previous studies suggest that static and time-varying electric and MFs exposure caused oxidative DNA damage (Ivancsits et al 2003;Yokus et al 2005), increased plasma, liver, lung and kidney TBARS and SOD levels (Harakawa et al 2005;Guler (Jelenkovic et al 2005;Di Loreto et al 2009) altered cell proliferation , cortical serotonergic neurotransmission (Janac et al 2009) and memory impair (Jadidi et al 2007) in various biological organisms. However, the present study differed from earlier investigations in certain regard, as the present investigation was conducted at much lower magnetic intensities (50 and 100 µT) as compared to the other studies, which were conducted at higher intensities (0.1 to 2 mT).…”