title: Genotoxic effects of extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic fields (MF) evaluated by the Tradescantia-micronucleus assay.
abstract: Extremely low frequency (ELF) electric fields (EF) and magnetic fields (MF) are generated during the production, transmission, and use of electrical energy. Although epidemiology studies suggest that there is a cancer risk associated with exposure to ELF-MF, short-term genotoxicity assays with bacteria and mammalian cells have produced inconsistent results. In the present study, we investigated the possible genotoxicity of ELF-MF by using the Tradescantia-micronucleus (Trad-MN) assay, a sensitive, reproducible, well-standardized assay for genotoxicity testing. A 50 Hz ELF-MF was generated by a laboratory exposure system consisting of a pair of parallel coils in a Helmholtz configuration. Exposure of Tradescantia (clone # 4430) inflorescences to the ELF-MF, at a flux density (B) corresponding to 1 mT, for 1, 6, and 24 h resulted in a time-dependent increase in MN frequency. The results indicate that a 50 Hz MF of 1 mT field strength is genotoxic in the Trad-MN bioassay and suggest that this assay may be suitable as a biomonitor for detecting the genotoxicity of ELF-MF in the field.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical-Surgical Specialities and Public Health, University of Perugia, Via del Giochetto, I-06126 Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fatigoni
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dominici
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moretti
authors.forename: Milena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Villarini
authors.forename: Silvano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Monarca
mesh_terms: D011211:Electric Power Supplies; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D015162:Micronucleus Tests / Q000379:methods*; D034823:Tradescantia / Q000235:genetics / Q000528:radiation effects*