RTRI REPORT August 1998

Estimation of Biological Effects of Magnetic Fields Using Bacterial Mutation Assay

Masateru IKEHATA, Tamami KAWASAKI, Takao KOANA


A bacterial mutation assay (Ames' Test) was performed to detect possible bioeffects of static magnetic fields (SMFs) up to 5 Tesla (T). Besides mutagenic effects, synergetic effects of SMFs and chemical mutagens were investigated. No mutagenic effects of SMFs were observed when bacterial cells were exposed to SMFs for 48 hours on agar plates. However, increases in the mutagenicity were observed when exposed to chemical mutagens and SMFs simultaneously. The effect saturated at 2 T and the dose relationship was non-linear. Therefore, it is inferred that SMFs do not have direct mutagenic effects while the magnetic environment shows synergetic effects at several T in particular conditions. It is suggested that the low strength of environmental magnetic fields dot not have any hazardous potential. Possible mechanisms of SMFs are discussed.



Copyright (c) 1998 Railway Technical Research Institute