Study type: Medical/biological study (experimental study)

Exposure of rats to a 50-Hz, 100 µTesla magnetic field does not affect the ex vivo production of interleukins by activated T or B lymphocytes med./bio.

By: Häußler M, Thun-Battersby S, Mevissen M, Loscher W
Published in: Bioelectromagnetics 1999; 20 (5): 295-305
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Aim of study (acc. to author)

To investigate the effects of a in vivo 50 Hz/100 µT magnetic field exposure on rat lymphocytes.

Background/further details

Two experimental setups were conducted: 1) Magnetic field exposure for 14 weeks with animals treated with the chemical carcinogen DMBA (four weekly oral applications, each 5 mg, up to a total dose of 20 mg). 2) Magnetic field exposure for 1 day, 1 week, and 2 weeks with animals not treated with DMBA. After in vivo exposure of the animals spleenic lymphocytes were isolated and cultured in vitro. T- and B-lymphocytes were mitogen activated with concanavalin A and pokeweed mitogen, respectively.

Endpoint

Exposure

Exposure Parameters
Exposure 1: 50 Hz
Exposure duration: continuous for 14 weeks.
Exposure 2: 50 Hz
Exposure duration: continuous for 1 day.
Exposure 3: 50 Hz
Exposure duration: continuous for 7 days.
Exposure 4: 50 Hz
Exposure duration: continuous for 14 days.

General information

Merritt et al.(1983)

Exposure 1

Main characteristics
Frequency 50 Hz
Type
Exposure duration continuous for 14 weeks.
Additional info Linearly polarized MF.
Exposure setup
Exposure source
Chamber Trovidur exposure chambers placed on wooden posts in an exposure room / 7.32 m x 4.52 m.
Setup Four acrylic cages each 39 cm x 55 cm x 22 cm per exposure chamber with seperate wooden posts placed inside the coil system
Parameters
Measurand Value Type Method Mass Remarks
magnetic flux density 100 µT effective value measured unspecified -
Additional parameter details

Stray MF in the exposure chamber calculated to be 0.1 µT and in the sham chamber to be 0.03-0.04 µT. Geomagnet field had a parallel component of 16 µT and perpendicular component of 36 µT.

Exposure 2

Main characteristics
Frequency 50 Hz
Type
Exposure duration continuous for 1 day.
Additional info Linearly polarized MF.
Exposure setup
Exposure source
Chamber Trovidur exposure chambers placed on wooden posts / 7.32 m x 4.52 m.
Setup Four acrylic cages each 39 cm x 55 cm x 22 cm per exposure chamber with seperate wooden posts placed inside the coil system
Parameters
Measurand Value Type Method Mass Remarks
magnetic flux density 100 µT effective value measured unspecified -

Exposure 3

Main characteristics
Frequency 50 Hz
Type
Exposure duration continuous for 7 days.
Additional info Linearly polarized MF.
Exposure setup
Exposure source
Chamber Trovidur exposure chambers placed on wooden posts / 7.32 m x 4.52 m.
Setup Four acrylic cages each 39 cm x 55 cm x 22 cm per exposure chamber with seperate wooden posts placed inside the coil system
Parameters
Measurand Value Type Method Mass Remarks
magnetic flux density 100 µT effective value measured unspecified -

Exposure 4

Main characteristics
Frequency 50 Hz
Type
Exposure duration continuous for 14 days.
Additional info Linearly polarized MF.
Exposure setup
Exposure source
Chamber Trovidur exposure chambers placed on wooden posts / 7.32 m x 4.52 m.
Setup Four acrylic cages each 39 cm x 55 cm x 22 cm per exposure chamber with seperate wooden posts placed inside the coil system
Parameters
Measurand Value Type Method Mass Remarks
magnetic flux density 100 µT effective value measured unspecified -

Reference articles

  • Baum A et al. (1995): A histopathological study on alterations in DMBA-induced mammary carcinogenesis in rats with 50 Hz, 100 muT magnetic field exposure

Exposed system:

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

Investigated system:
Investigated organ system:
Time of investigation:
  • after exposure

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

Both attempts failed to demonstrate any significant effect of MF-exposure on altered interleukin production. Thus, these results are in contrast to findings of a former study by the same group (publication 2357).

Study character:

Study funded by

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