Magnetic-field-induced DNA strand breaks in brain cells of the rat.
Lai H, Singh NP · 2004
View Original AbstractMagnetic fields at household levels caused cumulative DNA damage in rat brain cells through iron-mediated free radical formation.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed rats to extremely low-frequency magnetic fields (the type from power lines) at levels commonly found in homes and workplaces. After 24-48 hours of exposure, they found significant DNA damage in brain cells, with longer exposure causing more damage. The study suggests this damage occurs through iron-mediated free radical formation, potentially leading to brain cell death.
Why This Matters
This research is particularly significant because it demonstrates DNA damage at magnetic field levels of 0.01 mT (10 milligauss) - a strength you might encounter living near power lines or using certain household appliances. The fact that the damage was cumulative, increasing with longer exposure times, suggests that chronic exposure to everyday magnetic fields could pose health risks. What makes this study especially compelling is the researchers' identification of the biological mechanism: iron-mediated free radical formation leading to DNA breaks and cell death. The science demonstrates that even relatively low-level magnetic field exposure can trigger oxidative stress pathways in brain tissue. This adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that our current safety standards, which only consider heating effects, may be inadequate for protecting against biological effects of EMF exposure.
Exposure Details
- Magnetic Field
- 0.01 mG
- Source/Device
- 60-Hz
- Exposure Duration
- 24 hr and 48 h
Exposure Context
This study used 0.01 mG for magnetic fields:
- 500x above the Building Biology guideline of 0.2 mG
- 100x 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
In the present study, effects of magnetic field exposure on brain cell DNA in the rat were further investigated.
Exposure to a 60-Hz magnetic field at 0.01 mT for 24 hr caused a significant increase in DNA single-...
We hypothesize that exposure to a 60-Hz magnetic field initiates an iron-mediated process (e.g., the Fenton reaction) that increases free radical formation in brain cells, leading to DNA strand breaks and cell death. This hypothesis could have an important implication for the possible health effects associated with exposure to extremely low-frequency magnetic fields in the public and occupational environments.
Show BibTeX
@article{h_2004_magneticfieldinduced_dna_strand_breaks_405,
author = {Lai H and Singh NP},
title = {Magnetic-field-induced DNA strand breaks in brain cells of the rat.},
year = {2004},
doi = {10.1289/ehp.6355},
url = {https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/abs/10.1289/ehp.6355},
}