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Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in human peripheral blood neutrophils exposed in vitro to static magnetic field.

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Poniedziałek B, Rzymski P, Karczewski J, Jaroszyk F, Wiktorowicz K · 2013

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Static magnetic fields at 60 mT altered immune cell function in human blood samples within 15-45 minutes of exposure.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers exposed human blood samples to static magnetic fields for up to 45 minutes. The magnetic exposure significantly altered immune cell activity, changing production of reactive oxygen species that can damage cells. Effects increased with longer exposure times and depended on field orientation.

Why This Matters

This study provides important evidence that static magnetic fields can alter fundamental immune cell function at exposure levels well within the range of everyday sources. At 60 mT (600 gauss), these magnetic fields are comparable to what you might encounter from MRI machines, certain industrial equipment, or even some magnetic therapy devices marketed for health benefits. What makes this research particularly significant is that it demonstrates measurable biological effects in human immune cells after relatively brief exposures. The fact that neutrophils - your body's first line of defense against infection - showed altered ROS production suggests that magnetic field exposure could potentially influence immune function. While the researchers focused on therapeutic applications, the reality is that any technology capable of altering cellular processes in a laboratory setting deserves careful consideration regarding unintended health effects from chronic exposure.

Exposure Details

Magnetic Field
60 mG
Exposure Duration
15, 30 or 45 minutes

Exposure Context

This study used 60 mG for magnetic fields:

Building Biology guidelines are practitioner-based limits from real-world assessments. BioInitiative Report recommendations are based on peer-reviewed science. Check Your Exposure to compare your own measurements.

Where This Falls on the Concern Scale

Study Exposure Level in ContextA logarithmic scale showing exposure levels relative to Building Biology concern thresholds and regulatory limits.Study Exposure Level in ContextThis study: 60 mGExtreme Concern5 mGFCC Limit2,000 mGEffects observed in the Extreme Concern range (Building Biology)FCC limit is 33x higher than this exposure level

Study Details

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of gradient static magnetic field (SMF) on reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in human neutrophils in peripheral blood in vitro.

Blood samples collected from healthy individuals were incubated in an inhomogeneous SMF (in a south ...

The exposure of blood samples to SMF induced statistically significant changes in ROS production in ...

This study emphasizes the importance of proper adjustment of exposure time to SMF for any potential therapeutic applications.

Cite This Study
Poniedziałek B, Rzymski P, Karczewski J, Jaroszyk F, Wiktorowicz K (2013). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in human peripheral blood neutrophils exposed in vitro to static magnetic field. Electromagn Biol Med. 32(4):560-568, 2013b.
Show BibTeX
@article{b_2013_reactive_oxygen_species_ros_444,
  author = {Poniedziałek B and Rzymski P and Karczewski J and Jaroszyk F and Wiktorowicz K},
  title = {Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in human peripheral blood neutrophils exposed in vitro to static magnetic field.},
  year = {2013},
  doi = {10.3109/15368378.2013.773910},
  url = {https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/15368378.2013.773910},
}

Quick Questions About This Study

Researchers exposed human blood samples to static magnetic fields for up to 45 minutes. The magnetic exposure significantly altered immune cell activity, changing production of reactive oxygen species that can damage cells. Effects increased with longer exposure times and depended on field orientation.