Medical/biological study (experimental study)

Intermittent extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields cause DNA damage in a dose-dependent way. med./bio.

By: Ivancsits S, Diem E, Jahn O, Rudiger HW

Published in: Int Arch Occup Environ Health 2003; 76 (6): 431-436

Aim of study (acc. to author)

To study the influence of exposure time and magnetic flux densities on the induction of DNA strand breaks with human fibroblast cultures of three healthy donors.

Background/further details

In a previous study (publication 9089) the authors demonstrated an increase in DNA single-strand breaks in human fibroblasts upon intermittent exposure to a 50 Hz magnetic field. The extent of electromagnetic field-induced DNA damage was variable in relation to the setting of on and off times, and was highest at an intermittence of "5 min on/10 min off".

Endpoint

genotoxicity/mutation: DNA damage (DNA single-strand breaks/double-strand breaks)

Exposure

Exposure	Parameters
Exposure 1: 50 Hz Exposure duration: intermittent, 5 min on/10 min off, for 1-24 h	magnetic flux density: 20 µT minimum magnetic flux density: 1 mT maximum

Exposure 1

Main characteristics

Frequency	50 Hz
Type	magnetic field
Waveform	sinusoidal
Exposure duration	intermittent, 5 min on/10 min off, for 1-24 h

Exposure setup

Exposure source	2 four coil systems each of which placed inside a µ-metal box
Chamber	Exposure chamber placed inside a commercial incubator.
Setup	35 mm Petri dishes placed inside the µ-box.
Sham exposure	A sham exposure was conducted.
Additional info	The currents in the bi-filar coils were switched parallel for field exposure or non-parallel for sham exposure.

Parameters

Measurand	Value	Type	Method	Mass	Remarks
magnetic flux density	20 µT	minimum	unspecified	-	-
magnetic flux density	1 mT	maximum	unspecified	-	-

Additional parameter details

Geomagnetic field in the exposure chamber was 20 to 50 µT.

Exposed system:

intact cell/cell culture
human fibroblasts

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

genotoxicity/mutation: DNA damage (DNA single-strand breaks/double-strand breaks (alkaline and neutral comet assay, "comet tail factor"))

Investigated system:

DNA/RNA

Time of investigation:

after exposure

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

Extremely low frequency electromagnetic field exposure induced dose-dependent and time-dependent DNA single-strand breaks and double-strand breaks. Effects occurred at a magnetic flux density as low as 35 µT, being well below proposed International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) guidelines. After termination of irradiation the induced "comet tail factors" returned to normal within 9 h.
The induced DNA damage is not based on thermal effects and arouses concern about environmental threshold limit values for extremely low frequency electromagnetic field exposure.

Study character:

medical/biological study
experimental study
full/main study

Study funded by

European Union (EU)/European Commission

Replication studies

Focke F et al. (2010): DNA fragmentation in human fibroblasts under extremely low frequency electromagnetic field exposure.
Scarfi MR et al. (2005): Evaluation of genotoxic effects in human fibroblasts after intermittent exposure to 50 Hz electromagnetic fields: a confirmatory study.

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