Kitchen EMF Research

Enhancement of nitric oxide generation by low frequency electromagnetic field.

Yoshikawa T et al. · 2000

Primary DNA Damage in Human Blood Lymphocytes Exposed In Vitro to 2450 MHz Radiofrequency Radiation.

Vijayalaxmi, Leal BZ, Szilagyi M, Prihoda TJ, Meltz ML · 2000

Human peripheral blood samples from three volunteers were exposed to pulsed-wave 2450 MHz radiofrequency radiation for 2 hours. The exposure used a net forward power of 21 W with an average power density of 5 mW/cm2 and a mean specific absorption rate of 2.135 W/kg. DNA damage was measured using the alkaline comet assay immediately and 4 hours after exposure. No significant differences were found in comet tail length, fluorescence intensity, or tail moment between RF-exposed and sham-exposed lymphocytes at either time point. The response of lymphocytes exposed to ionizing radiation was significantly different from RF-radiation- and sham-exposed cells.

Increased chromatid-type chromosomal aberrations in mouse m5S cells exposed to power-line frequency magnetic fields

Unknown authors · 2000

Researchers exposed mouse m5S cells to power-line frequency magnetic fields at flux densities of 5, 50, and 400 mT for 40 hours. Cells were either untreated or pretreated with mitomycin C or X-rays before exposure. Exposure to 400 mT fields significantly increased chromosomal aberration frequency compared to unexposed controls. The induced aberrations were predominantly chromatid-type, with a three-fold increase at 400 mT. ELFMF exposure also deepened S or G2 arrest after DNA damage.

Power-frequency electric and magnetic fields and risk of childhood leukemia in Canada

Unknown authors · 1999

Researchers conducted a case-control study of 399 children with leukemia and 399 controls across five Canadian provinces from 1990 to 1994. Exposure assessment included 48-hour personal EMF measurement, wire coding, residential magnetic field measurements from conception to diagnosis, and 24-hour bedroom magnetic field measurement. Personal magnetic fields were not related to risk of leukemia (adjusted OR = 0.95, p for trend = 0.73) or acute lymphatic leukemia (OR = 0.93, p for trend = 0.64). No clear associations were found with predicted magnetic field exposure two years before diagnosis, over the lifetime, or with personal electric field exposure.

Reduced excretion of a melatonin metabolite in workers exposed to 60 Hz magnetic fields

Unknown authors · 1999

Reduced excretion of a melatonin metabolite in workers exposed to 60 Hz magnetic fields

Unknown authors · 1999

Researchers studied 142 male electric utility workers in Colorado to see how 60 Hz magnetic fields affect melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep. Workers exposed to temporally stable magnetic fields had reduced levels of melatonin metabolites in their urine, but only when they also had low light exposure at work. This suggests that power line frequency magnetic fields can disrupt the body's natural hormone production.

A magnetic field-responsive domain in the human HSP70 promoter

Unknown authors · 1999

HSP70 gene expression is induced by 60-Hz electromagnetic fields. Earlier work showed magnetic field induction occurs at the transcription level through c-myc binding at two nCTCTn sequences at -230 and -160. This study identified a third c-myc binding site between -158 and -162 that regulates magnetic field-induced HSP70 expression. The heat shock element between -180 and -203 is required for magnetic field induction, while the HSE at -100 alone is insufficient.

Increased exposure to pollutant aerosols under high voltage power lines

Unknown authors · 1999

Researchers modeled and measured how 222Rn decay product aerosols behave in the 50 Hz electric field under high voltage power lines to assess increased exposure to airborne pollutants. The model predicted a two- to three-fold increase in aerosol deposition on spherical surfaces mimicking the human head. Experimental measurements using detectors on grounded metal spheres confirmed enhanced deposition of both 218Po and 214Po aerosols. Enhanced 218Po deposition on 400 kV lines ranged from 1.96 to 2.86 times, while 214Po deposition on 275 kV and 132 kV lines was 1.43 and 1.11 times, with the latter not significant.

Increased exposure to pollutant aerosols under high voltage power lines

Unknown authors · 1999

University of Bristol researchers found that high voltage power lines create electric fields that dramatically increase the deposition of airborne pollutants on human skin. Using radioactive marker particles, they measured 2-3 times more pollutant particles depositing on surfaces under 400 kV power lines compared to areas away from the lines. This means people living or working near power lines face significantly higher exposure to whatever air pollution is present.

Induction of stress proteins by electromagnetic fields in cultured HL-60 cells

Unknown authors · 1999

Researchers exposed HL-60 cells to a sinusoidal 0.1 or 1 mT magnetic field at 60 Hz for 2 hours and then pulse-labeled them with radioactive isotopes. In control cultures without magnetic field exposure, the cognate form of stress protein 72c was faintly observed, and 0.1 mT exposure did not alter stress protein metabolism compared to controls. At 1 mT, the inducible form of stress protein 70i was synthesized, stress protein 90 was phosphorylated but not synthesized, and stress protein 27 isoforms a and b were induced. Statistical analysis of Western blot data confirmed a significant increase in stress proteins 90 and 27a after 1 mT exposure.

Microwaves and cellular immunity. I. Effect of whole body microwave irradiation on tumor necrosis factor production in mouse cells.

Fesenko, EE, Makar, VR, Novoselova, EG, Sadovnikov, VB, · 1999

Researchers exposed male NMRI mice to whole body microwave irradiation at 8.15-18 GHz and a power density of 1 microW/cm2 and measured tumor necrosis factor (TNF) production in immune cells. Shorter exposures ranging from 5 hours to 3 days significantly enhanced TNF production in peritoneal macrophages and splenic T lymphocytes. Chronic irradiation for 7 days decreased TNF production in peritoneal macrophages. Microwave treatment increased endogenously produced TNF more effectively than lipopolysaccharide, described as one of the most potent stimuli of this cytokine.

Human exposure at two radio frequencies (450 and 2450 MHz): similarities and differences in physiological response.

Adair ER, Cobb BL, Mylacraine KS, Kelleher SA, · 1999

Researchers measured thermoregulatory responses in two groups of seven adult volunteers exposed for 45 minutes to whole-body radio-frequency fields at either 450 or 2450 MHz. At each frequency, two power densities were tested at each of three ambient temperatures (24, 28, and 31 degrees C), along with no-RF control conditions. No change in metabolic heat production occurred under any exposure conditions at either frequency. At both frequencies, normalized peak SARs in excess of ANSI/IEEE C95.1 guidelines were easily counteracted by normal thermophysiological mechanisms.

Effect of 13 week magnetic field exposures on DMBA-initiated mammary gland carcinomas in female Sprague- Dawley rats

Unknown authors · 1999

Researchers exposed groups of 100 female Sprague-Dawley rats to 50 Hz magnetic fields at 1 or 5 G, or 60 Hz at 1 G, for 18.5 hours a day, 7 days a week, for 13 weeks after initiating mammary tumors with DMBA. A second study used a lower DMBA dose of 2 mg and exposed rats to 50 Hz fields at 1 or 5 G for the same duration. Magnetic field exposure did not affect body weight, tumor latency, or tumor size in either study, and the authors concluded there was no evidence that 50 or 60 Hz fields promoted breast cancer.

Effect of 26 week magnetic field exposures in a DMBA initiation-promotion mammary gland model in Sprague- Dawley rats

Unknown authors · 1999

Groups of 100 female Sprague–Dawley rats were initiated with a single 10 mg gavage dose of DMBA at 50 days of age and then exposed to ambient fields, 50 Hz magnetic fields at 1 or 5 Gauss, or 60 Hz fields at 1 Gauss for 18.5 hours per day, 7 days per week for 26 weeks. There was no effect of magnetic field exposure on body weight gains or the time of appearance of mammary tumors. Carcinoma incidence was 96%, 90%, 95%, and 85% for the DMBA controls, 1 G 50 Hz, 5 G 50 Hz, and 1 G 60 Hz groups respectively, total carcinoma numbers were 649, 494, 547, and 433 with significant decreases in the 1 G 50 Hz and 1 G 60 Hz groups, and the authors concluded there was no evidence that 50 or 60 Hz magnetic fields promoted breast cancer under the conditions of this assay.

Human sleep in 60 Hz magnetic fields

Unknown authors · 1999

Researchers conducted a double-blind laboratory study of 24 healthy young men to examine effects of intermittent versus continuous exposure to a 60 Hz, 28.3 microT magnetic field on EEG measures of night sleep. Intermittent exposure was associated with less total sleep time, reduced sleep efficiency, increased Stage II sleep, and decreased REM sleep, while continuous and sham exposure showed no such effects. Subjects exposed intermittently reported sleeping less well and feeling less rested in the morning compared to the other groups. All observed effects were significant at P < or = .04 or less.

Long-term exposure to a magnetic field (5 mT at 60 Hz) increases X-ray-induced mutations

Miyakoshi J, Koji Y, Wakasa T, Takebe H · 1999

Researchers exposed Chinese hamster ovary K1 cells to 5 mT ELFMF at 60 Hz for up to 6 weeks with or without X-irradiation. Long-term exposure to 5 mT ELFMF alone did not increase mutant frequency of the HPRT gene. However, exposure to 5 mT ELFMF after X-irradiation enhanced the X-ray-induced mutation rate. As little as 1 week of ELFMF exposure after X-irradiation increased the mutation rate.

Ultrawide-band electromagnetic pulses induced hypotension in rats.

Lu ST, Mathur SP, Akyel Y, Lee JC · 1999

Researchers exposed male Wistar-Kyoto rats to ultrawide-band electromagnetic pulses at 0.5-kHz and 1-kHz for 6 minutes. They measured cardiovascular functions including heart rate, systolic, mean, and diastolic pressures using a noninvasive tail-cuff sphygmomanometer. Exposure caused a significant decrease in arterial blood pressure that was robust, consistent, and persistent, while heart rate did not change. Cardiovascular functions were evaluated from 45 minutes to 4 weeks after exposure.

Cytoplasmic Ca2+ oscillations in human leukemia T-cells are reduced by 50 Hz magnetic fields

Unknown authors · 1999

Researchers investigated the effect of 50 Hz magnetic fields on the cytosolic calcium oscillator in Jurkat E6.1 cells at field strengths from 0 to 0.40 mT root mean square. The total spectral power of the cytosolic Ca2+ oscillator was reduced by magnetic field exposure and the effect increased in a dose-response manner. This reduction was also observed in the 0-10 mHz subinterval of the oscillation spectrum, while higher frequency subintervals showed no significant change.

Cytoplasmic Ca2+ oscillations in human leukemia T-cells are reduced by 50 Hz magnetic fields

Unknown authors · 1999

Researchers exposed human leukemia T-cells to 50 Hz magnetic fields (the same frequency as electrical power lines) and measured calcium oscillations inside the cells. They found that magnetic field exposure reduced these calcium signals in a dose-dependent manner - the stronger the field, the greater the reduction. This matters because calcium signaling is crucial for immune cell function and communication.

Gene expression in human breast epithelial cells exposed to 60 Hz magnetic fields

Unknown authors · 1999

Researchers exposed HBL-100 cells and normal human mammary epithelial cells to 60 Hz EMF at flux densities of 0.1, 1.0, and 10.0 Gauss for periods ranging from 20 min to 24 h. Gene expression was quantitated using ribonuclease protection assays. EMF exposure had no statistically significant effect on basal levels of c-myc transcripts in either human breast cell model, and had no effect on alterations in c-myc expression induced by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate. Transcript levels of c-erbB-2, p53, p21, GADD45, bax, bcl-x, mcl-1, and c-fos were also unaffected by EMF exposure.

Gene expression in human breast epithelial cells exposed to 60 Hz magnetic fields

Unknown authors · 1999

Researchers exposed human breast cells to 60 Hz magnetic fields (the same frequency as household electricity) at various strengths for up to 24 hours to see if EMF exposure would alter cancer-related genes. The study found no significant changes in gene expression for key cancer markers like c-myc, p53, and others, suggesting 60 Hz magnetic fields don't promote breast cancer through genetic mechanisms.

Gene expression in human breast epithelial cells exposed to 60 Hz magnetic fields

Unknown authors · 1999

Researchers exposed human breast cells to 60 Hz magnetic fields at various strengths (0.1 to 10 Gauss) for up to 24 hours to test whether power line frequencies could trigger cancer-related gene changes. The study found no significant effects on cancer-associated genes including c-myc, p53, and others, suggesting 60 Hz EMF is unlikely to promote breast cancer through direct gene expression changes.

Animal study on electromagnetic field biological potency.

Trosic I, Matausicpisl M, Radalj Z, Prlic I, · 1999

The remaining 20 rats served as control. Exposed rats showed a decreasing tendency in total leukocyte and relative lymphocyte counts and a slight increase in granulocyte and erythrocyte counts.

Effects of 60 Hz magnetic field exposure on polymorphonuclear leukocyte activation.

Khadir R, Morgan JL, Murray JJ. · 1999

Researchers investigated the effects of a sinusoidal 60 Hz magnetic field on free radical production, degranulation, and viability in human neutrophils. Exposure of unstimulated human neutrophils to the magnetic field did not affect the functions examined. When cells were also stimulated with PMA, exposure to a 22 mT, 60 Hz magnetic field induced significant increases in superoxide anion production of 26.5% and in β-glucuronidase release of 53%. Release of lysozyme and lactate dehydrogenase was unchanged by the magnetic field, whether the cells were stimulated or not.

Microwaves and cellular immunity: II. Immunostimulating effects of microwaves and naturally occurring antioxidant nutrients

E.G Novoselova, E.E Fesenko, V.R Makar, V.B Sadovnikov · 1999

Researchers tested the effect of 8.15–18 GHz microwave radiation at a power density of 1 μW/cm2 on TNF production and immune response. A single 5-hour whole-body exposure induced a significant increase in TNF production in peritoneal macrophages and splenic T cells, and the mitogenic response in T lymphocytes also increased. The activation of cellular immunity was observed within 3 days after exposure. A diet containing β-carotene, α-tocopherol, and ubiquinone Q9 increased the activity of macrophages and T cells from irradiated mice.