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Induction of micronuclei and superoxide production in neuroblastoma and glioma cell lines exposed to weak 50 Hz magnetic fields.

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Kesari KK, Juutilainen J, Luukkonen J, Naarala J. · 2016

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Brain cells showed DNA damage and oxidative stress from magnetic fields as low as 10 microtesla, levels commonly found near household appliances.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers exposed brain cells to extremely low frequency magnetic fields (the type from power lines) at levels as low as 10 microtesla for 24 hours. The study found significant DNA damage in human neuroblastoma cells and increased oxidative stress in rat brain cells. These effects occurred at magnetic field levels that are commonly encountered near electrical appliances and power infrastructure.

Why This Matters

This research adds crucial evidence to our understanding of how even weak magnetic fields can affect brain cells at the cellular level. The 10-30 microtesla exposure levels used in this study are particularly significant because they represent everyday exposures you encounter near household appliances, electrical wiring, and power lines. What makes this study especially noteworthy is that it demonstrates clear biological effects including DNA damage and oxidative stress at these relatively low exposure levels. The researchers found that the threshold for biological effects may be 10 microtesla or lower, which means many common exposures in your daily environment could potentially trigger these cellular responses. This adds to the growing body of evidence suggesting that current safety standards, which focus primarily on thermal effects, may not adequately protect against the biological effects occurring at much lower exposure levels.

Exposure Details

Magnetic Field
0.01 and 0.03 mG
Source/Device
50 Hz
Exposure Duration
24 hours

Exposure Context

This study used 0.01 and 0.03 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 ContextStudy Exposure Level in ContextThis study: 0.01 and 0.03 mGExtreme Concern - 5 mGFCC Limit - 2,000 mGEffects observed in the No Concern rangeFCC limit is 200,000x higher than this level
A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 50 Hz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 50 HzCell phones~1 GHzWiFi2.4 GHz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

Study Details

The effects of co-exposure of human neuroblastoma and rat glioma cells to a 50 Hz magnetic field and menadione on DNA damage and oxidative stress should be investigated.

Effects of 10 and 30 µT fields were studied in SH-SY5Y and C6 cells exposed to 50-Hz MFs for 24 h. B...

Responses to MF were observed in both cell lines, but the effects differed between the cell lines. M...

Cite This Study
Kesari KK, Juutilainen J, Luukkonen J, Naarala J. (2016). Induction of micronuclei and superoxide production in neuroblastoma and glioma cell lines exposed to weak 50 Hz magnetic fields. J R Soc Interface. 2016 Jan;13(114). pii: 20150995. doi: 10.1098/rsif.2015.0995.
Show BibTeX
@article{kk_2016_induction_of_micronuclei_and_397,
  author = {Kesari KK and Juutilainen J and Luukkonen J and Naarala J.},
  title = {Induction of micronuclei and superoxide production in neuroblastoma and glioma cell lines exposed to weak 50 Hz magnetic fields.},
  year = {2016},
  doi = {10.1098/rsif.2015.0995},
  url = {https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rsif.2015.0995},
}
DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2015.0995

Cited By (30 papers)

Quick Questions About This Study

Yes, a 2016 study found that 50 Hz magnetic fields at 30 microtesla significantly increased DNA damage in human neuroblastoma brain cells after 24-hour exposure. These magnetic field levels are commonly found near electrical appliances and power infrastructure in homes.
Research shows that 50 Hz magnetic fields as low as 10 microtesla increase superoxide levels in rat brain cells, indicating oxidative stress. This finding suggests the threshold for biological effects from power frequency magnetic fields is 10 microtesla or lower.
A 2016 study found that 24 hours of exposure to 50 Hz magnetic fields at household appliance levels caused significant DNA damage in human brain cells and increased oxidative stress in rat brain cells.
Research demonstrates that 50 Hz magnetic fields increase mitochondrial superoxide production in rat brain cells, with effects following a conventional dose-response relationship. The study found biological effects starting at magnetic field levels of 10 microtesla or less.
Yes, the 2016 study found different responses between cell types. SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells showed increased DNA damage (micronuclei) at 30 microtesla, while C6 glioma cells primarily exhibited increased superoxide levels indicating oxidative stress.