Extremely low frequency magnetic field (50 Hz, 0.5 mT) modifies fitness components and locomotor activity of Drosophila subobscura.
Dimitrijević D, Savić T, Anđelković M, Prolić Z, Janać B. · 2014
View Original AbstractMagnetic fields at power line frequencies altered fruit fly development and significantly reduced movement, showing EMF can affect both growth and nervous system function.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed fruit flies to 50 Hz magnetic fields (the same frequency as power lines) at 0.5 milliTesla for 48 hours and tracked their development and behavior. The magnetic field exposure shortened development time, increased survival rates, but significantly reduced the flies' movement and activity levels. This study demonstrates that extremely low frequency magnetic fields can alter both biological development and nervous system function in living organisms.
Why This Matters
This study adds important evidence to our understanding of how extremely low frequency magnetic fields affect biological systems. The 0.5 milliTesla exposure level used here is significantly higher than typical household exposures (which range from 0.01 to 0.2 milliTesla near appliances), but it's within the range that can occur near power lines or electrical substations. What makes this research particularly valuable is that it shows EMF effects on both development and nervous system function, with the locomotor changes persisting longer when adult flies were exposed versus larvae. The science demonstrates that ELF magnetic fields can influence biological processes across different life stages, affecting both cellular development and neurological function. While fruit flies aren't humans, they share fundamental biological processes with us, and their nervous systems respond to environmental stressors in ways that often parallel human responses.
Exposure Details
- Magnetic Field
- 0.5 mG
- Source/Device
- 50 Hz
- Exposure Duration
- 48 h
Exposure Context
This study used 0.5 mG for magnetic fields:
- 25Kx above the Building Biology guideline of 0.2 mG
- 5Kx above the BioInitiative Report recommendation of 1 mG
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 Details
Extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic fields are essential ecological factors which may induce changes in many organisms. The aim of this study was to examine the effects in Drosophila subobscura exposed for 48 h to ELF magnetic field (50 Hz, 0.5 mT) at different developmental stages.
Egg-first instar larvae developmental stage of D. subobscura isofemale lines was exposed to ELF magn...
ELF magnetic field shortens developmental time, increases viability and does not affect sex ratio of...
Applied ELF magnetic field modifies fitness components and locomotor activity of D. subobscura. Observed effects can be attributed to the influence of magnetic field on different stages of development where the hormonal and nervous systems play important role in the control of examined parameters.
Show BibTeX
@article{d_2014_extremely_low_frequency_magnetic_634,
author = {Dimitrijević D and Savić T and Anđelković M and Prolić Z and Janać B.},
title = {Extremely low frequency magnetic field (50 Hz, 0.5 mT) modifies fitness components and locomotor activity of Drosophila subobscura.},
year = {2014},
doi = {10.3109/09553002.2014.888105},
url = {https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/09553002.2014.888105},
}