CELL GROWTH IN A LOW-INTENSITY, 60 Hz MAGNETIC FIELD
S. S. Kronenberg, T. S. Tenforde · 1979
Early research examined whether 60 Hz power frequency magnetic fields influence cell growth in laboratory settings.
Plain English Summary
This 1979 technical report investigated how low-intensity 60 Hz magnetic fields affect cell growth in laboratory conditions. The research focused on the same frequency used by electrical power systems throughout North America. While specific findings aren't available, this represents early scientific investigation into whether power frequency magnetic fields can influence basic cellular processes.
Why This Matters
This research from 1979 represents pioneering work in understanding how power frequency magnetic fields interact with living cells. The timing is significant - this was conducted during the early years of concern about power lines and health, well before the widespread adoption of wireless technology added new layers of EMF exposure to our daily lives. The 60 Hz frequency studied here is the same frequency that powers every electrical device in your home, from your refrigerator to your computer. What makes this research particularly relevant today is that our exposure to 60 Hz magnetic fields has only increased since 1979. We're surrounded by more electrical wiring, more appliances, and more electronic devices than ever before. Understanding how these fields affect cellular growth processes remains crucial for assessing the health implications of our increasingly electrified environment.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study. Duration: up to 100 hours
Study Details
To determine whether the magnetic component of a weak 60 Hz field could influence the growth kinetics of cultured cells.
EMT6 cells were cultured in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium containing 15% fetal bovine serum, 50 u...
Experimental EMT6 cultures were continuously exposed to a 1.65 mT (r.m.s.), 60 Hz magnetic field for...
The growth-characteristics observed for EMT6 cells exposed to a longitudinal 1.65 mT (r.m.s.), 60 Hz field for up to 100 hours were indistinguishable from those of control cultures, thus indicating the lack of a magnetic field effect on the length of the intermitotic cycle. Similar results were obtained by Chandra et al. who exposed cultured human bronchogenic carcinoma cells and Burkitt lymphoma cells to 60 Hz magnetic fields ranging in strength from 0.1 to 1 T for periods of 0.5 to 3 hours on three consecutive days. Rockwell et al. observed no effect on the clonogenic capacity of cultured EMT6 cells of a 24-hour exposure to DC magnetic fields up to 2.05 T strength. The experimental observations on Physarum suggest that the effects of weak electromagnetic fields may not become manifest unless the field exposure is extended for a prolonged period of time. However, Tobey obtained evidence that field-induced effects on cellular growth may occur shortly after the exposure is initiated and disappear at later times.
Show BibTeX
@article{cell_growth_in_a_low_intensity_60_hz_magnetic_field_g5086,
author = {S. S. Kronenberg and T. S. Tenforde},
title = {CELL GROWTH IN A LOW-INTENSITY, 60 Hz MAGNETIC FIELD},
year = {1979},
}